Mass Effect: A Measure of Salvation
by Mal Cobb
Summary: With the gathering storm upon the galaxy, Miranda struggles to help find a way to confront the Reaper threat while trying desperately to hold onto the man she's fallen in love with. A re-imagining of the events of Mass Effect 2 and 3, focusing on the relationship between Commander Shepard and Miranda Lawson.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters of the Mass Effect universe are the property of Bioware, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. The following fan fiction is solely for the enjoyment of the author and fans of Mass Effect.

* * *

The force and heat of the explosion stunned Miranda, propelling her across the platform she had been standing upon a moment earlier. Violently crashing against a low column, she saw stars and crumpled into a ball as the wind was knocked out of her.

Struggling to her knees, her vision still blurry, she saw Garrus running quickly toward her position. He stopped beside her and dropped to one knee, taking up station directly above her and attempting to shelter her further from the furious blast Shepard had just unleashed with the M920 Cain.

Shielding her face with an armored forearm, Miranda looked up and saw the grotesque Human-Reaper engulfed in fire.

The beast let out a terrible, otherworldly cry that pierced her ears and caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Then it began to crumble and break apart, raining debris down upon the platform and the team's position.

Suddenly, the floor shifted violently as a massive section of the ruined creature struck the platform. Garrus was thrown forward over the outcropping they had been huddled behind and away from Miranda. She was pushed forward against the cold, metallic wall in front of her, but then the platform quickly sprang back in the other direction, attempting to realign itself, and hurled her violently in the opposite direction.

Miranda found herself sliding helplessly toward the platform's edge and the abyss below. Franticly clawing at the floor's smooth surface, she desperately tried to gain purchase and slow her momentum. But her efforts were futile as she skidded faster toward the edge and what promised to be certain death in the cold, alien cavern of the Collector base.

Panic began to overtake her and she tasted bile as her legs swung out over the edge and her body began to fall over into the void below.

But then Shepard was there.

Seeing Miranda propelled across the platform, he dove for her without hesitation, and slid forward across the floor, a gloved hand outstretched. He grasped her right wrist firmly, stopping her free-fall, and then quickly pulled her away from the edge, hauling her directly on top of him as he lay flat on his back.

Miranda stared wide-eyed back at her rescuer, breathing heavily. He returned her gaze with an absurdly calm expression and just the hint of a smile.

The two quickly stood up as the platform righted itself and debris fell away below and throughout the base's cavernous interior.

Garrus, apparently unscathed, came dashing over a second later to check on his companions.

"Damn it, Shepard! I had that thing lined up in my sights before you stole the shot!" Garrus bellowed to his friend, barely suppressing a laugh.

Shepard stared back at him, still grasping Miranda's hand tightly. She wasn't ready to let go yet.

"The next Reaper's all yours, Vakarian," Shepard replied with a wry grin, and then called out over the comm, "Bravo team! Sitrep?"

"We're holding, but the bastards keep coming! And we're running low on goddamn ammo!" Zaeed barked over the radio.

"Understood. Break position and fall back to the Normandy. Joker, prep for dust off," Shepard commanded.

"Roger!" Zaeed said.

"Copy that, Commander," Joker acknowledged.

"Grunt, Tali, Jack! Bring up the nuke."

"Copy that, Shepard. We're moving to your location now," Tali responded.

Tali's group arrived at Shepard's position near the ruined Human-Reaper a few minutes later with Grunt effortlessly carrying the compact nuclear weapon on his back.

Shepard, Miranda, and Garrus were huddled close together, still checking each other over after dispatching the enormous foe minutes before.

"Right here, Grunt," Miranda motioned to a terminal access point she had just managed to open. "We can tie into the base's systems at this junction."

Tali nodded to Miranda and quickly assisted her with the terminal as Shepard removed the device from Grunt's back.

Garrus took up position a few meters away, scanning vigilantly with his sniper rifle and waiting for the next wave of Collector drones to appear.

Jack fell in at the opposite side of the platform, near the bomb team and ready to throw up a barrier should an attack come while prepping the device. Looking over her shoulder toward Miranda, she shot the Cerberus operative a cold stare and called over, "Glad to see you survived, princess. Would've been a shame to see the fucking bugs spoil those good looks."

Miranda, still gathering her wits after very nearly plunging to her death, could only muster a stony glare toward Subject Zero as she focused on prepping the small nuclear device's arming mechanism.

Shepard, standing by Miranda and Tali as they worked, scanned the cavern for threats, tracking methodically with his Mattock assault rifle.

Miranda, briefly glancing up from her work, noted the practiced calm the Commander exhibited as he oversaw the final stages of their desperate mission. Among the team gathered on the scorched platform, only Garrus seemed capable of matching his steely composure.

"EDI, how we doing?" Shepard asked.

"I have extracted approximately seventy-six petabytes of data from the base's systems thus far," EDI replied in her oddly seductive, feminine voice. "However, this is only a fraction of the total data stored in the facility's systems. Countermeasures against my intrusion have slowed the download considerably. I do have partial access to the base's internal security systems and am taking measures to clear Bravo Team's route back to the Normandy. I also detect a sizeable force of Collectors advancing on your position. I am attempting to delay them."

"Very well. Get what you can, but the exfil of our people is the priority."

"Acknowledged, Commander."

"Tali, Miranda. Talk to me," Shepard said.

"Almost there, Shepard," Tali said. "Preparing to arm the device now."

"There's no turning back once we arm the bomb, Commander," Miranda added.

"Understood."

"Commander," Joker broke in across the comm, "I've got an urgent message from the Illusive Man. Patching him through now."

Miranda stood upright, her work complete and activated the Omni-tool integrated on her left arm. A scaled holographic projection of the Illusive Man appeared a moment later.

"Shepard. You've done the impossible and stopped the Collector threat," the Illusive Man's voiced echoed hollowly through the cavernous chamber.

"It's a little early to celebrate. We're not done yet," Shepard said.

"I'm aware of that, Shepard. I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse will kill the remaining Collectors but leave the station and its technology intact. This is our chance, Shepard. They were building a Reaper. That knowledge, that framework, could be the difference that saves humanity."

"Negative. There's not enough intel to confirm a radiation attack will be effective. We're sticking with the original mission directive," Shepard said matter-of-factly. "This place is an abomination and I'm not risking the lives of my team any more than I already have. I'm blowing it to hell."

"Shepard, listen to me. I know that you've been through a significant ordeal but the value of this base is too great to simply throw away. Don't be short-sighted. Our best chance against the Reaper threat is to understand them. This station presents an opportunity too rare to squander. I'm _ordering_ you to preserve the base!"

"Not happening. You saw what happened to your people on that derelict Reaper. If you think you're going to dispatch Cerberus research teams to sift through this mess and come up with a happy ending, you're delusional."

"We've already learned from that incident, Shepard. And this is different—you know that!"

"EDI is pulling everything she can. That's just going to have to be good enough. And frankly, I don't trust you with this tech. Not after what we saw with Project Overlord."

The Illusive Man's voice was tinged with a note of desperation when he replied.

"Shepard. You died fighting for a cause you believed in. I brought you back because you had a unique opportunity to make a real difference in a war we both know is closing in on the galaxy. I didn't discard you because I knew your value. Don't be so quick to discard this facility! Think of the potential. I'm asking you—I'm pleading with you—trust my judgment and obey my order."

Shepard paused for a moment, staring back at the holographic image of the man responsible for his resurrection and then said flatly, "no."

There was a clear shift in the Illusive Man's demeanor and a look of rage came upon his face. "I won't accept this Shepard!" his spat back. "Miranda! Cease that weapon's deployment now and relieve Shepard of command."

Hearing the desperate order, Garrus glanced over his shoulder slightly but made no move to alter his weapon's direction. Grunt tightened his grip on the handle of his shotgun, but also kept his powerful legs squared in the opposite direction and away from Miranda. Tali momentarily glanced up nervously from her work at the bomb's terminal, but quickly returned to her task. Jack eyed Miranda suspiciously, but like the rest of the squad, stood vigilant on the perimeter and ready to engage any Collector forces that might appear.

Miranda, her eyes moving to meet Shepard's, noted that the Commander did not flinch, apparently not doubting her loyalty to him for even a moment.

With a calm, resolute voice, Miranda responded to her employer, "No. I agree with Shepard. We can't leave this base intact. The risks are far too great."

"I gave you an _order_, Miranda!"

"I noticed. However, I report to Commander Shepard _exclusively_. Consider this my resignation, _sir_."

"Miranda! Shepard! You don't understand the significance—"

The Illusive Man's holographic image immediately vanished and the comm went silent as Miranda killed the feed from her Omni-tool, lowered her arm and glanced up to meet Shepard's eyes once again. He returned her gaze and nodded slightly, with something that looked like pride in his eyes. _Or was it something else_? _Something more?_

"We're done here, Shepard!" Tali shouted.

"Alright everyone, fall back! Jack you're on point. Grunt, Garrus, you're with me on our six."

Jack nodded to Shepard, yanking back on the action on her pistol to ensure a full clip's worth of ammo, and yelled back to the group, "Try to keep up, kids! We. Are. Leaving!"

* * *

Updated - 12/2/13 (minor edits to help dialog flow)

Author's notes:

I don't plan on retelling every key mission of ME2 and 3. In fact, I plan on doing very little of that. The culmination of the suicide mission just seemed like a good place to kick off a story that will ultimately focus a lot on the relationship between Shepard and Miranda and what they get up to during the upcoming Reaper war.

I'll finish off this sequence in the next chapter, but then we'll be shifting gears.

I hope you enjoy and stick around for a few chapters and see if you like where I'm going with this. And, of course, I welcome all feedback and reviews. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

The escape from the cavernous labyrinth of the Collector base was harrowing, even by Shepard's unusual standards, as the team desperately fought their way back to the Normandy.

Fortunately, EDI had been successful in infiltrating enough of the Collector's systems to map out a reasonably direct extraction route. Accessing internal security protocols, the Normandy's powerful AI opened previously impenetrable security doors to ease the team's passage and cutoff other corridors in order to slow their pursuing enemy.

However, resistance during the team's escape still proved severe and the combat incredibly fierce as the team attempted to blitz through the maze of pathways and put distance between them and the 50 kiloton nuclear device that promised to incinerate the base within a matter of minutes.

Fast on their heels, and seemingly enraged by the loss of the Human-Reaper they had nurtured for so long, countless drones and assassins relentlessly pursued the team from the moment they evacuated the central chamber.

Jack ensured the squad maintained a desperate pace as she blazed a trail of carnage that made her escape through the Purgatory prison ship seem tame in comparison. Pushing ahead like a woman possessed, she dealt biotic shockwave after shockwave, clearing a path ahead for the rest of the team to follow.

Tali and Miranda, trailing closely behind and covering the squad's flanks, marveled at the stamina Jack exhibited as she maintained an extraordinarily high level of biotic energy over the course of their escape.

Miranda, a skilled biotic in her own right, understood that Jack had tapped into a deep reserve of energy, fueled by unbridled emotion. That, along with the seemingly endless pent-up rage Jack possessed allowed her to push past thresholds that would burnout a lesser biotic to the point of brain damage.

Miranda knew that once beyond a certain point—after that raw emotional deluge washed over you—all former boundaries were irrelevant.

After all, it was that same primal sensation that drove Miranda to push past all her previous biotic limits when she was confronted by Captain Enyala in that stark Citadel warehouse several months ago.

That day, even Shepard and Garrus were caught off guard by the sudden ferocity of her assault on the Eclipse mercenary band that dared to stand between Miranda and her sister.

Fueled by the rage of witnessing both Niket's betrayal and his ruthless execution, Miranda had carved a merciless swath of carnage through the Eclipse lines as her companions fought to remain in contact with her. Totally possessed by the need to get to Oriana and exact revenge on the asari merc captain, Miranda completely disregarded her own safety.

Finally, after cornering the asari, Miranda reached back for yet another reserve of biotic energy and annihilated her adversary's defenses, killing the merc instantly and without remorse.

But the cost of that prolonged and unrestrained biotic combat had been great. Stumbling a few feet further after killing Enyala, Miranda collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Had she been alone, Miranda would have lost her life that day.

During the chaos of the battle, a lone Eclipse sniper had remained hidden and unseen as he lined up a shot that would have abruptly ended the brunette's existence. But the keen eye of Garrus promptly identified the threat and sent an impossibly accurate shot from his own sniper rifle straight through the would-be assassin's scope, killing the man instantly.

That day Miranda learned a valuable lesson: Despite the frightening biotic power her wrath was capable of conjuring up, ignoring her body's limits and failing to reign in her emotions ultimately left her vulnerable and helpless.

In the end she needed the help of both Shepard and Garrus to survive the day and ensure Oriana's safety. Going it purely alone would no longer be an option for Miranda.

From that day moving forward, Miranda resolved herself to never again take such selfish and irresponsible risks. Not when she had found something so important to live for as well as protect.

In the weeks after the mission to rescue and relocate Oriana, Miranda focused intently on quieting her mind during extreme combat and enhancing further her normally excellent composure under stress.

Shepard's encouragement and coaching had been crucial. And while she resisted the Commander's help at first, Miranda ultimately relented and lowered her typically impenetrable guard, allowing the man to help her push past longstanding barriers of self-doubt that she never before dreamt of sharing with someone else—let alone the man she was tasked to oversee and keep in check.

It was that trust he engendered that ultimately led to something altogether unexpected…

But now, watching the unrestrained and reckless ferocity Jack unleashed upon the Collector forces, Miranda knew she had to step up and attempt to curb the volatile woman's attacks before she inflicted permanent damage upon herself and endangered the rest of the squad.

And then it happened.

Jack had just unleashed a biotic warp field so powerful it stopped Miranda in her tracks, surprised by the unexpected intensity of the effect. The attack caused a thunderous detonation among a group of Collector drones ahead of the team, violently hurling the enemy in multiple directions.

The Collector soldiers were smashed and torn apart, but the stress of so many biotic strikes in rapid succession had finally taken its toll on their tormentor.

Breathing heavily, Jack's shoulders slumped in exhaustion and she dropped to one knee. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she began to bleed from the nose and ears as she collapsed to the floor.

A moment later, an enormous Praetorian swung around the corner ahead of the team and made straight for the incapacitated biotic at terrifying speed.

Only a few meters behind Jack when she fell, Miranda and Tali immediately sprinted forward to take up position on either side of their incapacitated squad mate as the terrible creature fired a shot from its twin particle beams.

With one long, slender leg outstretched ahead of her, Miranda slid in front of Jack and from one knee quickly produced a powerful barrier that managed to deflect the blast, forcing the beam wide and into the nearby tunnel wall. Debris exploded outward and peppered the group, but Miranda's barrier managed to hold—but only just.

Undoubtedly, the beam would have vaporized Jack where she lied, slumped over and defenseless.

Without hesitation, Tali released a combat drone to distract the beast and immediately followed with several blasts from her geth-manufactured Plasma Shotgun, striking the creature hard enough to slow its advance and damage its barrier.

Stunned by the Praetorian's initial attack, Miranda continued to hold her barrier in place, struggling to maintain the precious shelter it afforded over her two companions as several Collector Assassins turned the corner ahead and also began firing upon them.

"Shepard! A little help here!" she shouted over the cacophony of weapons fire engulfing the three females.

Instantly recognizing the urgency in Miranda's voice, Shepard firmly slapped the nearby Grunt on the shoulder and in one blindingly fast movement swung his assault rifle around a hundred eighty degrees and emptied a full thermal clip upon the foes bearing down on the women, scattering the Collector Assassins.

Responding to Shepard's cue, Grunt turned his massive body around and quickly zeroed in on the Praetorian, which was still engaging Tali's drone. He let out a furious battle cry and charged the beast, firing rounds from his Claymore shotgun all the way as he ran into the fray.

Sent reeling by the barrage of fire Grunt and Tali unleashed upon it, the flying creature violently listed to one side and was nearly forced into the ground.

Picking up speed as he closed the gap, Grunt leapt the last several meters and dove upon the Praetorian's back. Grasping a horned appendage in one powerful hand and his Claymore in the other, he firmly pressed the muzzle of the shotgun behind where the brain likely resided and fired one last kill shot.

As the creature collapsed in a heap upon the ground, Grunt rolled of its back with surprising agility, landed squarely on his two stout legs, and continued firing ahead of the squad.

All the while, Garrus remained razor focused, methodically picking off pursuers with his sniper rifle and protecting the rear flank while the rest of the squad's attention was focused forward.

Seeing their krogan companion make short work of the immediate threat ahead, Miranda allowed her barrier to drop and leapt back to her feet, rapidly pulling her M-12 Locust from the holster on her hip and pointing it down-range.

Shepard rushed up to the three women and quickly assessed Jack's state. She was semiconscious now, but clearly in no condition to move effectively on her own.

"Let's get her up!" he shouted and wrapped one arm around her torso, effortlessly lifting the slender woman to her feet. Miranda and Tali fell in step on either side of Jack to take her weight from him, each pulling an arm over their shoulders.

Dazed and shaky, Jack still managed to mutter in Miranda's ear, "You're still a bitch, cheerleader," though there was no real malice in her voice.

Resuming his aggressive, forward pointing firing stance and scanning for targets ahead, Shepard called out, "EDI, we need an exit—now!"

"You're nearly there, Shepard," EDI responded. "Twenty-three meters to the extraction point—directly ahead and to the left of your current location. We are taking up position outside the egress point and extending mass effect fields to sustain atmosphere as you withdraw to Normandy's airlock. However, I am currently locked out from the systems controlling the base's external doors. I will require you to establish a manual link from the interior in order to open the doors."

"Understood," Shepard replied and motioned the team forward again, "Come on! Push ahead!"

Grunt, still several meters ahead of the rest of the team, nodded back toward the order and resumed his thrust ahead, casting aside several more Collectors with a combination of shotgun fire and his bare hands.

The remainder of the squad followed in the krogan's wake of destruction, engaging enemies that seemed to now be converging on their position from all directions.

Approaching the location EDI had described, Shepard spotted their escape route. To the left of their position was a small alcove off of the corridor they had been tracking. Two sturdy, horizontally sliding blast doors sealed the access point. To the right, the path continued further on, seemingly branching off into even more tunnels in the maze-like, alien landscape of the Collector's station.

The Commander noted that Grunt had already taken up position to the right, covering their flank from enemies beginning to close in on the team from that direction.

Shepard calmly assessed the situation and issued the command, "Tali, let's get that link established for EDI."

Nodding acknowledgement, Tali waited for Miranda to take Jack's full weight before releasing her and moving ahead. The quarian then easily breached a small panel on the wall near the door and began to work.

Shepard moved over to help Miranda pull Jack around the corner of the tunnel they had just emerged from and behind an outcropping of equipment that offered a small amount of cover.

Garrus continued to backtrack just behind the rest of the team, slowing down the pursuers and trusting Shepard and the rest of the team to cover his back.

A second later, Tali called out over the comm, "I've got it, EDI! Uplink established."

"Acknowledged, Tali," EDI responded. "I have access. Opening blast doors now."

With that, the two thick doors gave a harsh cry of grinding metal and slid open, exposing the void outside and the Normandy hovering a short distance beyond.

Shepard peered through the opening and spotted his ship through the doorway, the primary airlock on the port side open. He could see Legion and Thane standing at either side of the airlock, weapons ready to cover the fleeing team with their deadly accurate sniper fire.

"Tali, Miranda! Take Jack and go. Now!" Shepard commanded.

Tali rushed back to Miranda and together they pulled Jack back to her feet, scampered toward the open port, and leapt out.

Piercing the atmospheric force field of the doorway, the three women plunged through space toward the Normandy. Ahead of them, Samara emerged from within the airlock beside Thane, reached out an arm, and caught the three women in a powerful biotic pull, guiding them the remaining distance into the ship.

Shepard leaned out the doorway and watched Miranda, Tali and Jack make the distance to the Normandy, confirming their safety, and then turned back toward his remaining companions.

"Grunt! You're up!" he shouted and immediately brought his rifle to bear again in order to cover Grunt's escape.

Grunt whirled around, slapped his shotgun firmly onto his back, and then took off at full sprint through the doorway, crossing the distance to the Normandy in just a few seconds and sending the crew at the airlock scrambling for cover as the krogan slammed into the ship's interior with thunderous force.

Lastly, Garrus joined Shepard at the doorway and together set their backs against the thick station walls bordering their escape route. The two friends glanced at each other and nodded with silent understanding.

Firing simultaneous concussive shots into the hordes of Collectors closing in on them, they quickly spun on their heels and in near perfect synchronization pushed off from the doorway and into space.

Flying through the void between the base and the waiting Normandy beyond, Shepard and Garrus rotated in mid-flight and turned their weapons back toward the open door whence they had just emerged and fired off yet another volley toward their pursuers.

Thane and Samara then emerged from the ship's airlock once again and took hold of their comrades with another round of biotic pulls, directing them the rest of the way into the Normandy as Legion continued to carefully fire his rifle at any Collectors that came into view.

Miranda, watching with rapt attention as Shepard and Garrus crossed the distance and were hauled into the ship, immediately sealed the airlock and announced the order, "We're clear! Let's go!"

"Copy that!" Joker said.

The Normandy then turned sharply to starboard and flared her navigational thrusters, inflicting an extra degree of punishment on the remaining exposed Collectors, sending a molten blast of exhaust against the station's exterior and through the open doorway.

Seconds later, the ship sped away through the debris field and toward the system's mass relay beyond, rapidly putting distance between it and the doomed station.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Okay, so we're finally out of the Collector base! I love Jack's character, so we'll definitely be seeing more meaningful content from her in the future—certainly more than what we got in canon ME3. Despite their obvious differences, Jack and Miranda have some subtle things in common too. The conflict between those two characters is something we'll see more of.

Also, I know that Mass Effect wiki says the Praetorian is "slow moving," but in my universe it's pretty swift. So, there's that.

The next few chapters will build more of the foundation for the story, focusing on adding detail and nuance to what happens between the end of the ME2 timeline and the beginning of the Reaper War. We'll also be taking a break from action scenes for a bit—they're a little exhausting for me to write, and I'm not entirely sure how they're turning out anyway, so any and all tips are welcome! But for now, I'm ready for a little quiet time with the characters.

I have some fairly ambitious ideas, including some drastic changes to the Arrival mission. In fact, part of me wants to scrap Arrival all together, but I think I need it or something very similar to its impact in order to make the rest of the story flow. Hopefully I can pull most it off…

I've also mocked-up some content that takes place earlier in ME2's timeline, so we'll be flashing back to those scenes in the future (It'll mostly be Miranda-Shepard focused).

Anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter out by the weekend. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

The acrid smell from spent thermal clips and energy weapon impacts permeated the Normandy's bridge. A slight haze lingered in the air as wispy lines of smoke radiated from the squad's armor after the punishment they'd absorbed fleeing the Collector base.

As the ship rocketed away from the station, Shepard, Miranda, Garrus, and Tali all remained up front with Joker, anxious to witness the final confirmation of their success.

Shepard stood directly behind his pilot's chair, one arm grasping the back of Joker's seat as he looked up intently at the array of vid displays. Garrus and Miranda stood to either side of the Commander, equally transfixed by the images shown above them of the steadily diminishing space station.

Tali had taken possession of the co-pilot's seat and rapidly punched in commands on the haptic interface in front of her. "Any second now…" she called out.

A moment later, an intensely bright flash of white light washed out the Normandy's monitors, quickly followed by the appearance of an enormous orange, spherical explosion that engulfed the point in space where the Collector base had been a second before.

Radiating outward in an ever-expanding concentric circular pattern, a shock wave hurtled toward the fleeing Normandy.

"Brace for impact!" Joker shouted out to the group on the bridge and over the ship-wide comm.

As the concussive wave from the detonation hit, the vessel was rocked violently causing Miranda to stumble forward, taking hold of Shepard's arm to keep from losing her footing. He held her firmly for a few moments, waiting for the turbulence to pass.

A few seconds later the Normandy steadied and continued on, apparently unscathed.

"Thirty seconds to the relay, Commander," EDI announced. "I detect no further hostiles in the vicinity."

"Thank you, EDI," Shepard said. "Joker, let's get the hell out of here."

"Gladly, Commander," Joker replied.

Joker activated the Reaper IFF and lined up the ship's trajectory with the mass relay that promised to deliver them back into the Terminus. A moment later, the relay engaged and propelled the Normandy at unfathomable speed through the near mass-free corridor.

Miranda stood transfixed, starring out through the ship's forward windows as a brilliant spectrum of bluish light engulfed the Normandy. Still standing near the Commander, she suddenly realized that she'd been holding her breath from the moment the nuclear device detonated.

As the ship emerged from the Omega 4 relay a few seconds later and sharply decelerated, Miranda finally exhaled and allowed the wave of relief to wash over her.

_They'd done it_. They had actually survived a mission that by any reasonable estimation was suicidal to even attempt.

And suddenly, as the Normandy reentered the Omega Nebula, she was keenly aware of how this journey had come full circle for her.

Miranda's role in this success was the culmination of years of arduous work—years of her life—that had begun in this same region of space the day she encountered a desperate and grief stricken Liara T'Soni on Omega.

That day had launched Miranda on a journey filled with so many extraordinary events that she scarcely believed it had all happened.

She had led the seemingly impossible project to bring Commander John Shepard back from the brink of death, proceeded to fight by his side through a myriad of intense battles and missions, stepped foot on a dead Reaper, infiltrated a massive geth stronghold, helped topple the most powerful information broker in the galaxy, and finally, had been standing at Shepard's side at the decisive moment they ended the Collector threat.

It was a remarkable collection of accomplishments, even when judged through the harsh lens of self-criticism Miranda so often subjected herself to.

And on a personal note, after all those challenges and triumphs over the last six months, Miranda felt something undeniable had changed for her as a woman.

Despite her stubborn reluctance to embrace it, she had allowed herself to _feel_ something for the man standing next to her that she was still trying to wrap her head around. It was something that made her feel both frightened and a little awkward—but not in an entirely bad way.

But now that the mission was over, would it continue? Would it grow into something more? Did she even want it to? The questions in her head were seemingly endless.

As she stood there, the answers refused to come easy. Though, she felt pretty certain about what she wanted for the future and with John. But everything had happened so fast…

_Oh hell_, she thought, this is something Oriana is going to want to hear all about.

Oriana… _oh god…_

"Shepard-," Miranda seized the Commander's arm again, demanding his attention.

Shepard looked over to her and instantly understood Miranda's distress.

He turned to face her and gently but firmly grasped both her upper arms, looking directly into her eyes. "She's going to be fine. You know this," he quietly assured her.

Miranda met his gaze, recognized that look of supreme confidence he seemed to summon up so easily, and tried desperately to believe it. She nodded grudgingly and accepted his assurance, trying to get ahold of herself and reign back in the panic that was stirring in her gut.

"Commander, I have an incoming transmission to the QEC," EDI announced. "It is the Illusive Man, Shepard."

Garrus and Tali both turned to look at Shepard, Garrus clearly displaying some kind of turian smirk on his scarred face.

"Hmph, that didn't take long," Shepard said. "I'll head to the briefing room and take it in just a moment, EDI." He then gave a subtle nod to both Garrus and Tali, his friends returning the gesture with looks of unsaid understanding.

"Very well, Commander," EDI said. "Shepard, we also sustained significant damage to the hull and sensor arrays during the mission. I recommend docking at a port with suitable repair facilities as soon as possible."

"Understood, EDI. Joker, plot a course for Omega."

"Sweet! Yeah, no problem, Commander. Let's _definitely _make the most lawless space station in the galaxy our first stop after a suicide mission," Joker cracked.

"I have complete faith in your ability to watch our backs while we kick back in Afterlife, Joker. Don't think I didn't see you waving that Avenger around back there," Shepard motioned back toward the primary airlock.

"Man's got to do what a man's got to do, Commander."

Shepard gave Joker a grateful pat on the shoulder and turned back to Miranda. "Come on, let's go," he said and motioned for her to follow.

They proceeded to exit the bridge and walk down the passageway leading to the CIC, Garrus and Tali following closely behind. Several crew members rescued from the Collector base had already resumed their stations on the main deck and saluted respectfully to their command staff, beaming with looks of gratitude. Shepard stopped and greeted each of them, checking to ensure they were alright and thanking them all for enduring such an ordeal. Miranda offered them all nods of respect and a few words of appreciation, which left most looking stunned that the _Ice Queen_ had spoken with them so cordially.

Arriving near the Galaxy Map, Shepard and Miranda stopped by the captain's private terminal while Garrus and Tali continued on past the pair and into the ship's elevator.

Garrus paused at the elevator doors and called out to Shepard, "Hey, be sure to say hi for us Shepard!"

"Yesss… definitely. Tell that bosh'tet we'll miss him," Tali added, just before the doors to the lift closed.

Shepard smiled briefly; always appreciating his friends' ability to ease a moment of tension with humor, but then quickly became serious again. Turning to face Miranda, he placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Try not to worry. She's in good hands—_I promise_."

Miranda drew in a long breath to calm her nerves, straightening her posture and said in her best business-like voice, "Of course, Shepard. Thank you."

Shepard could see the wheels turning relentlessly behind her stunning blue eyes and knew she was far from okay just then. "This won't take long. Wait for me here?" he said.

Miranda mustered up a meager smile and nodded in agreement before Shepard then reluctantly spun around and marched through the Armory door, leaving her lost in thoughts that inevitably turned toward her sister.

During the mission, there was no time to think; it was all reflex and instincts as they had fought their way through the Collector base and then back again during the desperate escape. But now, as the Normandy arrived safely back in the Sahrabarik system, the weight of what she'd told the Illusive Man threatened to suffocate her.

_She'd done it._ _She had actually quit Cerberus._

Cerberus. The people whom granted Miranda sanctuary from her oppressive father and gave Oriana the chance to experience a normal life with a caring and supportive family, free of the burden to carry on someone else's legacy.

Cerberus. The organization that had given purpose to her life and where she had achieved such great heights as one of the Illusive Man's most trusted operatives.

_And I told him to bugger off._

But there was no turning back. That was a certainty. The Illusive Man did not often give second chances and he certainly never forgave disloyalty. Miranda knew those precious few who dared defy the man and willfully broke away from the organization had faced grave consequences.

But in truth, this choice had not been an impulsive decision prompted by a dramatic moment on a Collector base platform. Miranda didn't behave impulsively, she reminded herself. In fact, she had made up her mind to part ways with Cerberus quite a while ago.

Yes, wrapping her head around the idea of leaving the Illusive Man's trust had been a long and arduous process, filled with second guessing and endless doubts. And she had resisted mightily the idea of abandoning all she'd known for so many years. But ultimately, Miranda had resigned herself to the inevitability.

Over the course of the last six months, while working so closely with Shepard, she had seen the seedy underbelly of the organization she once held in such high esteem. From Pragia to Overlord and everything in between, it all added up to an inescapable conclusion: She no longer belonged with Cerberus when it had so obviously abandoned its moral compass and was led by a man she could no longer trust—a man that reminded her of her father more and more every day.

_And so she resolved to not become like her father._ She refused to continue on so willfully jaded and cynical, fighting for the cause of humanity while abandoning her own.

Shepard had helped her get there, but Miranda ultimately came to the conclusion on her own.

The consequences of her choice would be dire. No doubt, she would be hunted. And even worse—what kept her up at night—was that Oriana would be in jeopardy once again.

But after everything Miranda had seen, she knew she had to risk it for both their sakes.

And now, standing there in the Normandy's CIC with the full weight of her decision bearing down on her, Miranda couldn't help but cast her mind back to the argument she had with Shepard several weeks ago.

They had been finalizing the cleanup on Aite in the wake of Project Overlord's disastrous aftermath and just overseen the pickup of David Archer for transport to Grissom Academy.

Miranda remembered already being angry that day, the terrible images of what she'd just witnessed running through her mind as she struggled to produce an after-action report that the Illusive Man would find acceptable. And then Shepard had stormed into her office and slammed both his hands on the desk opposite where she was sitting and leaned aggressively into her space.

"This is not you, Miranda!" He nearly shouted at her, his emotions uncharacteristically getting the better of him. "Cerberus isn't what you believe it to be. Crap like what we just saw down there should drive that point home to you."

"Shepard, _what do you want me to say_?" She asked in exasperation, further upset by being cornered in such a way.

"I want you to be honest with yourself and recognize that an organization that pulls shit like this is not acting in humanity's best interests," he continued, an almost pleading tone to his voice. "I want you to understand that the Miranda Lawson I saw laughing and smiling with Oriana last month is who you really are—not the Cerberus apologist. You can't reconcile the two with the atrocities your employer dismisses with the wave of his hand."

Miranda, words failing her for the moment as tears began to well up in her eyes, had sat there staring back at him. The state they'd discovered the younger Archer in had shaken her badly and already crystalized the argument Shepard was so passionately trying to make. But it wasn't that easy. _Didn't he see that?_

Shepard refused to relent, remaining planted in front of her. "Now, I know what you're thinking—and don't worry about it. I'm still going to see this mission through to the end. I'll continue to dance with the devil because I just don't see any other damn choice. But let me be clear, a long term arrangement with Cerberus is _not_ in my future… And it shouldn't be in yours either. You're too good for them."

"Damn it, Shepard," she finally replied in a quiet, slightly shaky voice, "Oriana's safety is reliant on my service and loyalty to Cerberus. I won't risk losing her again. I won't risk her family!" But as she spoke the words, she already knew she would eventually have to do just that. _But not until she had a plan._

The fact was Miranda had already become convinced there was no way she could go back to Cerberus. But just then, she was far too stubborn to admit that to Shepard. And as she held out only a slim prospect for their safe return from beyond the Omega 4 Relay, the mission allowed her to push that conversation off and focus on the tasks at hand.

Shepard stared back at her, understanding registering in his eyes, and sighed. He pushed back from the edge of her desk, relaxed his stance, and sat down heavily in the chair opposite her. "I know," He finally said. "But there has to be solution."

"Shepard," Miranda said, "that is more easily said than done. One does not cross the Illusive Man."

Shepard looked at her silently for a long moment, a searching look in his eyes that signaled he was busy looking for an answer. In that moment, as she tried desperately to maintain her stoic exterior and prevent the tears from falling, she couldn't help but feel that warm glow she seemed to be getting more and more when he looked at her so kindly. _That affection is what will make my choice easier, right?_

Finally, he stood back up. "I'm sorry for flying off the handle, Miranda. I know you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. But I want you to know that there _is_ a way out from under this and we'll find it."

Then he reached across her desk and grasped her hand, squeezing firmly. "I promise."

_Damn him._ Why did he have to do that, she had thought to herself, as a single tear finally streamed down one cheek upon feeling the tenderness in that simple touch of his hand.

He then smiled reassuringly and turned around to leave, walking out with clear resolution in his step.

And he had found a way.

In fact, it was only a day later.

Miranda was eavesdropping on his secured vid extranet exchange with Liara T'Soni when she learned about his plans.

After ousting the Shadow Broker, Shepard and T'Soni had been corresponding regularly for weeks as the plucky asari took on the role. It was an extraordinarily close-guarded secret. As far as Miranda knew, only Shepard, herself, Garrus, Tali and the drell, Feron, were privy to the truth. She had even been successful in preventing the Illusive Man from discovering the details.

"Anyway, that's everything I have on Hock," Liara had said as she finished giving Shepard some key intel on a Bekenstein-based weapons dealer named Donovan Hock. Shepard had begun leveraging Liara's new found influence as the Shadow Broker to supplement—and in some cases—replace all together the information he was being fed from Cerberus Intelligence.

"That's perfect, thank you," Shepard replied and jotted down some notes on a tablet. All the while Miranda was secretly observing the interaction via a hidden video feed while she sat in her office a deck below.

"I have one additional request, Liara," Shepard said. "And it's kind of a big one."

"Hmm… that sounds a little ominous, John. What is it?"

"I'm pretty sure I don't even need to ask this, but you're aware of Miranda Lawson's sister, Oriana, and her adoptive family?"

"Of course. They're of significant interest to the Illusive Man and therefore were tracked extensively by the previous Shadow Broker. I've carried that surveillance forward since taking over," Liara explained.

"Good, that's good," Shepard said, sounding encouraged. "I want around-the-clock protection assigned for the family and prepped to intervene at any hint of a threat."

"I'll put my best assets in the region on the case immediately," Liara assured him without hesitation. "I'm assuming we're anticipating they'll be in danger soon?" she asked, but then made the jump herself, "In danger from Cerberus? You know, they are the ones that assisted with the family's recent relocation."

"Liara, I don't trust Cerberus any more now than I did before. And whether or not Miranda admits it, they've been using her sister's safety as leverage to ensure her loyalty for years. I want you to prepare to extract the family as soon as the Illusive Man moves on them."

"You're speaking as if that's a certainty to occur. What aren't you telling me, John?" Liara prodded her friend.

Shepard didn't answer immediately, apparently thinking through his next words.

But Liara seemed to guess at the truth first. "Ah. I think understand… I assume you and Miss Lawson have grown…close? I thought I was catching something when I visited the Normandy last month."

Shepard, looking back up at Liara's image on the screen, finally spoke up again. "She's become someone special to me, yes."

"John, are you certain about her? She has been one of the Illusive Man's most trusted agents for many years. A true believer in their cause and an asset he has wielded with great effect in the past," she had said, with genuine concern in her voice. "Are you sure that her placement on the ship as XO was purely based on her technical and operational prowess?"

Miranda remembered bristling at hearing T'Soni's suggestion she was merely a tool the Illusive Man had been using to get closer to Shepard. But, being honest with herself, she knew there was truth in Liara's words. In fact, Miranda knew just how much truth…

Shepard didn't seem to flinch hearing Liara's concerns and thinly veiled suggestion that his romantic relationship with Miranda could be part of a greater Cerberus strategy. Miranda imagined he likely had considered the possibility before. But nevertheless, he still pursued a relationship with her.

"I understand your concern, Liara. And I know this is a hell of a thing for me to be asking—you of all people. But a lot's happened the last few months—for both Miranda and myself. I no longer have any reservations about putting my trust in her."

"I'm sorry, John. I didn't want to insinuate that what you have together might not be genuine. I just want to ensure you're okay," Liara said, a slightly pained expression on her face.

"Don't apologize, Liara. You and Garrus are my closest friends and neither one of you _ever_ has to apologize to me. He raised the same concerns as you, so I get where it's coming from. But trust me, I know what I'm doing," his voice was calm and friendly, but absolutely resolute.

"Then I'm happy for you, John," Liara said smiling, "truly."

"Thank you, Liara. That means a lot to me."

"So, back to the business with Miranda's sister," Liara continued. "Are you anticipating some kind of struggle for Miranda's loyalties between yourself and the Illusive Man that might spark a threat?"

"Actually, I feel like she's already made her decision about Cerberus," he had said. _Damn it._ _How did he know that_? Miranda remembered thinking. "And as for me, once the Collectors are out of the picture, and assuming we come back from this mission alive, my arrangement with the Illusive Man is over. Providing we make it back, I'm seizing the Normandy under Spectre authority. When that time comes, the crew will have a choice to make. Miranda included."

Hearing that didn't shock Miranda. She already felt certain that Shepard would never return the Normandy to the Illusive Man. And she knew that he had already swayed nearly the entire crew toward placing their loyalties in him above Cerberus. It already went without saying that the freelancers they had picked up along the way were also firmly behind _him_—not Cerberus. Miranda even felt sure that the ship's Cerberus-developed AI would stand with the Commander.

Liara looked at Shepard for a long moment before smiling softly. "Then consider the issue with Miss Lawson's sibling my top priority," she said decisively. "I'll arrange several alternate destinations for the family right away and prepare new identities and appropriate occupations. The agents will be instructed to intervene immediately the moment they detect Cerberus activity."

"Thank you, Liara."

"You're welcome, John. And by the way, I am pleased for you and Miranda. When I first met her years ago while attempting to recover your body, she was a cold woman. Oh, she was undeniably very capable—even gifted—and came across pleasantly enough, but I sensed an emotional detachment behind her eyes that I don't often see in humans. When you and Garrus first showed up with her in Nos Astra, she seemed very much the same operative I had met then. But when I visited the Normandy later, I could already detect a shift in her demeanor. It was very subtle, but definitely a change." Liara paused and smiled broadly. "I suspect you were already chipping away at that icy exterior as you're so skilled in doing."

"Well, it's a work in progress," Shepard admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"Of course," Liara nodded agreement. "Is there anything else I can do for you right now?"

"No. Thank you, Liara. You've already done plenty," Shepard said, and then paused for a long moment, seemingly deep in thought. "But, Liara…If we don't make it back, get them out anyway."

"Of course. I will," Liara had said solemnly. "But you _will_ make it back, John. You always do."

"No promises this time, but I'll do my best. Take care, Liara."

"You too, John. Goddess be with you," Liara signed off and closed the transmission.

Miranda had been left staring at her monitor, stunned by what she'd just witnessed and feeling a growing sense of warmth overcome her as she continued to look at the man she had been steadily falling in love with.

And last night, on the eve of their trip through the Omega 4 Relay, Miranda had finally admitted to Shepard she had observed the entire exchange between him and Liara. They were lying together on his bed in the Captain's loft, having just made love.

To his credit, Shepard didn't seem offended or even surprised. He went on to say that early on Mordin had helped him eliminate most of the surveillance devices Cerberus had installed, but wasn't shocked there were still a few he missed. Nevertheless, Miranda had apologized profusely for that particular invasion of privacy, as well as all the covert monitoring of his actions she'd taken part in over the last six months.

Now, standing there in the Normandy's CIC, she fondly remembered being held in his arms the previous night, feeling safe and content in spite of the danger that awaited them.

And she was grateful. Grateful that he had once again taken it upon himself to look out for her sister—someone he had never even met. And if there had been any lingering doubt about her future with Cerberus, it had all dissolved away last night.

The sound of the armory door opening jarred Miranda back to the present.

Pulling herself back from her thoughts, she looked up to see Shepard striding toward her, apparently having finished his conversation with the Illusive Man. It had been brief. She hoped that was a positive sign.

He stopped in front of her and asked, "You alright?"

She nodded yes, "I'm okay. How did it go?"

"Pretty much like we expected. He's pissed, but I could give a damn," he said and shrugged. "He didn't seem too surprised to learn he's not getting his ship back… or you."

"Hmm. I suppose it's something he would have anticipated," she admitted. "There are likely contingencies that even I was never made aware of, John," she said, glancing suspiciously around the CIC.

"No doubt. But you don't need to worry about EDI, if that's what you're thinking," Shepard said, and then looked toward the terminal where EDI's holographic representation regularly appeared, "Right, EDI?"

On cue, EDI's blue sphere appeared before the pair.

"The Commander is correct, Miss Lawson," she replied. "Jeff's decision to unshackle my systems has allowed me to make my own choice on this topic, based on moral and ethical behaviors I've observed on the Normandy. To that end, I have chosen to remain exclusively under Shepard's command."

Looking impressed, Miranda tilted her head slightly and gave Shepard a coy smile. "Ah. I see."

"And Commander," EDI added. "You may now advise Garrus and Tali that they no longer need to stand by in the AI core. I have no plans to vent the ship's atmosphere."

Shepard smiled ruefully, and said, "Sorry about that, EDI. But you understand I had to take precautions."

"Of course, Shepard. I take no offense. Logging you out."

Shepard looked back at Miranda and exhaled. "Come on. It'll probably be a little while longer before we get word," he nodded toward the elevator. "We should check in on the crew and make a quick sweep of the ship, confirm nothing's going to fall off on the way to Omega. I need to stop and look in on Jack too, make sure she's alright. Meet you in my quarters in twenty?"

Miranda smiled and nodded, "Okay. I'll start in Engineering. See you in a bit." With that, Miranda strode forward toward the elevator, but stopped briefly to give him a quick, discrete peck on the cheek before continuing on into the elevator.

* * *

A short while later, after finishing their rounds, Shepard and Miranda retreated back to the captain's loft.

"So… Quitting Cerberus, huh?" Shepard said with a playful grin. "How's that sinking in?"

Miranda gave him a mock-glare, shooting daggers with her eyes for a moment. "Honestly, it's a little unnerving. My work for Cerberus has been nearly all I've known for the better part of the last two decades. My entire adult life, really. Thanks for asking… _Ass_."

"Fair enough, XO," Shepard said laughing.

Miranda had begun to unfasten the gauntlets on her jet-black Cerberus armor, removing the pieces with practiced care before setting them down on Shepard's desk. Meanwhile, he was haphazardly pulling off his own armor and tossing it in the corner, much to Miranda's annoyance.

"But it's also liberating," she continued, trying to ignore the chaos taking place in front of her. "I'm genuinely excited about what the future might hold...That is, except for the impending Reaper invasion and galactic apocalypse," she said dryly. "But truthfully, John. It's a very dangerous path I've taken—that we've taken. That man does not accept dissent gracefully. Our lives will be in significant danger. The price on our heads will be high."

Shepard turned serious for a moment, discarding his lighthearted demeanor. "He's not going to touch you. He's not going to touch Oriana. And just let him come after me—I'd welcome it."

Miranda sighed and stared back at him, wanting him to take the threat more seriously, but ultimately choosing to remain silent and continue removing her armor.

EDI's voice then abruptly came over the comm speaker "Commander, an encrypted message has arrived marked for yours and XO Lawson's eyes only."

Miranda froze and looked at Shepard, anxiety in her eyes, fearing what the message might contain.

"Thank you, EDI," Shepard said and nodded to Miranda. "We'll take it here on my terminal.

"Very well. Message delivered, Commander," EDI acknowledged.

Shepard moved to his desk and sat down in front of the terminal. Miranda followed and leaned over his shoulder, a knot tightening in the pit of her stomach.

Keying the access with his biometric reader, the message appeared before the battle weary pair:

_Shepard,_

_Operation successful. _

_Cerberus agents moved on the family 20 minutes ago and were promptly eliminated by my team before reaching their targets. It appears they were under orders to take Oriana alive, but dispose of the remainder of the family. _

_All family members are safe and unharmed. As previously arranged, we're transporting them to a safe house before permanent transfer and relocation out of the system. _

_Tell Miranda not to worry—all is well. I'll have secure comms up for the two of them within 90 minutes. _

_I hope all was successful with your mission. Please send word as soon as you can so I know everyone's safe. _

_Goddess be with you,_

_Liara_

Miranda closed her eyes, tears having welled up, and exhaled. She had been holding her breath from the moment EDI announced the message was inbound.

Shepard quickly typed a reply of thanks to Liara and confirmed the Normandy's crew was safe and then swiveled his chair around to face Miranda, a comforting smile on his face.

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck, touching her forehead to his and whispered, "thank you."

"Hey, this is you—and Liara, of course." Shepard said, gently grasping her head in his hands, looking her directly into her blue eyes. "If you hadn't dug up the intel about Feron in first place, we wouldn't be here. And _you _took the leap of faith and trusted we could protect Oriana."

Miranda nodded and smiled, tears spilling down her cheeks as the intense stress of worrying about her sister finally began to subside.

"I can hardly believe it," she said. "Cerberus has been my life for so long. They've kept watch over Oriana for seventeen years. But now… a fresh start."

"Any regrets?" Shepard asked.

"None. That man is a sociopath. That's certainly clear enough. And it's time for me to stand on my own two feet—it's long overdue."

"I'm glad to hear it," Shepard said, beaming with pride.

Miranda then smiled mischievously at Shepard, sat down in his lap and placed her arms over his shoulders. She kissed him deeply for a long few seconds before pulling away slightly to look back into his eyes. "Now… get me out of this _bloody_ armor."

* * *

**Author's note:**

This chapter was a bit of a bear to write. There are some elements I'm really pleased with, but overall I'm afraid it might be a little disjointed. But I've got to move on with my life—and onto chapter 4.

Anyway, this was really the end of the prologue, so to speak. I wanted to illustrate the consequences Miranda had to weigh when she decided to part ways with Cerberus. I also wanted to take this opportunity to introduce Liara to the story and give her an important role. The Liara-Miranda dynamic is another relationship I want to explore further. And though it wasn't all that obvious, Shepard and Liara may have had a little something going on in the past… Also, just a note on detail: In this imagining, Miranda provided the Shadow Broker intel directly to Shepard and TIM was not involved. I don't want to be caught in a scenario like in the game where nearly everyone in the damn galaxy knows Liara's the new broker. It kind of defeats the purpose, right?

And I hope the flashback sequence wasn't too disorienting. I'll have to work more on that particular technique in the future.

And thanks again for all those that have read so far and provided great feedback. I'll be back with more soon!


	4. Chapter 4

After Shepard's helpfulness in removing the remainder of Miranda's armor and the base layers she wore beneath, the two enjoyed a long shower together before migrating back down to his bed.

A little over an hour later, Miranda's pent-up tension thoroughly relieved, she began to excitedly look forward to speaking with her sister.

As Liara promised, Miranda would soon be able to connect with Oriana over a secure extranet video chat line. The notification of the impending transmission came in just a few moments after Miranda had pulled on Shepard's robe. She sat down eagerly at the Commander's desk and hastily ran a brush through her long, raven black hair, waiting for the video link to be established.

Shepard, kind enough to allow the two sisters their privacy, pulled on some non-Cerberus issued tactical pants and T-shirt. He then quickly gave Miranda a kiss on the cheek and announced he was heading back down to the crew deck in order to catch up with Garrus, Tali and the rest of the squad. Miranda thanked him as he hurried out the door, a radiant smile on her face as she watched him leave.

When Miranda turned back to the monitor, she was surprised by her sister's youthful face staring back at her. With a broad smile and amused expression, Oriana was gawking at her older sister. "Randa, you're absolutely glowing!" she blurted out.

Miranda blushed and quickly tried to compose herself. She shot back a wholly unbelievable look of sternness before eventually breaking down and allowing her joyful smile to reappear, unable to hide the contentment she was feeling at that moment.

The two talked for nearly an hour. Oriana had been a little unnerved by the abruptness of this latest move—which had apparently taken place during the very early morning hours locally—but she was also clearly someone that adapted quickly to the unexpected. Miranda was filled with pride at seeing the resilience her younger sister displayed in the face of such unusual circumstances. Oriana had never been subjected to the years of intensive technical, academic, and combat training that her older sister had endured while raised in their father's household, but she still had the same superior DNA. Miranda couldn't help but reflect that the science their father had implemented in his relentless pursuit of a perfect heir had, in fact, succeeded on many levels.

Miranda went on to explain as much as she could about the reasoning for her sister's hasty relocation, telling her that she had been involved in a dangerous mission and that when she had returned there had been some unforeseen complications. She stopped short of naming Cerberus, Shepard or the Collectors specifically. The incomplete information left Oriana a little frustrated, but the younger Lawson possessed savviness beyond her 17 years that kept her from pressing Miranda too hard for specifics. However, Miranda did promise to go into greater detail as soon as they had the next opportunity to meet in person, which she hoped would be very soon.

When they finally signed off from their video chat, Miranda felt a fresh sensation of relief come over her. Hearing Oriana's voice and confirming with her own eyes her sister's wellbeing had done wonders for Miranda's soul. All the misgivings and doubts that she had been harboring about her break from Cerberus seemed to dissolve away and she was left with a renewed optimism about what the future might bring. She was still wary of what else the Illusive Man might have planned, but for the time being, the peace of mind that Shepard and Liara had given her allowed her to push those fears into the background.

Miranda also realized the debt she now owed to the asari. It was a potentially awkward situation as she was well aware that there had been a time when Shepard and T'Soni had been more than just friends and colleagues. But now Miranda was with Shepard.

She paused and thought about that for another moment. _Were they a couple?_

She realized she was again smiling as she contemplated the thought.

Still sitting at Shepard's desk and wrapped comfortably in his soft cotton robe, Miranda sighed contently, feeling safe and at ease.

But then the near crippling fatigue came upon her. She had been working without sleep for the last two days leading up to their mission through the Omega 4 Relay and running on pure adrenaline for the better part of the last several hours. The comedown from that high was severe.

Miranda managed to stand up and make her way up the short set of stairs to the upper level of Shepard's cabin. She made a cup of hot chamomile tea at the beverage station before retreating back downstairs, climbing onto the bed and propping her back up against a few pillows.

Intending to relax for only a few minutes and gather her energy before getting dressed and returning to her duties, Miranda managed only a few sips of her tea before she found herself unconsciously sinking ever lower onto the bed.

A moment later, the _former_ Cerberus operative had fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

When Miranda awoke, she found that she had been placed carefully under the plush covers of Shepard's bed with her head laid upon several soft pillows. Momentarily disoriented, and nearly forgetting where she was, Miranda sat up quickly and saw Shepard sitting at the end of the bed, looking back at her.

"Good morning," he said with an admiring smile upon his face and cup of piping hot coffee in one hand.

"Mmm… Good morning," Miranda replied, smiling and suppressing a yawn. Still slightly off balance, she asked, "how long…?"

"Have you been out?" Shepard interrupted before she could finish. "About six hours."

Miranda's jaw dropped slightly in surprise. "What?!"

"Relax, XO. You needed it," Shepard said with a stern but caring tone.

Miranda opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again, recognizing the pointlessness. She then sat up a little straighter against the headboard of the bed and pulled the robe she was still wearing a little tighter around her body. She glanced to the nightstand on her left and noticed the thin wisps of steam rising from a fresh cup of tea.

"For me?" she said, smiling back at Shepard.

He nodded yes.

"Thank you. How long have you been back up? Did you sleep too?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"Oh, I crashed out on the sofa in Port Observation for a while after Garrus and I threw back a few drinks. I brought you some fresh clothes too," he said, nodding to his left.

For the first time, Miranda noticed a fresh set of her clothes laid out on the end of the bed—her signature white and black skin-tight outfit.

"_Thank you_," she said, a little purr in her voice, but then caught herself, "Wait! Did you go through my drawers?!" Miranda shouted with a scandalized look on her face.

Shepard raised his free hand in mock surrender. "Whoa, only to grab your outfit," he explained. "I asked EDI where you kept the cat suit and she pointed me right to the proper spot in your closet."

Miranda glared at him, setting her jaw in that way she does. "Cat suit?! _That_ is not a cat suit, you ass!"

"Okay, okay. Right. Sorry," Shepard said while attempting to backpedal. But it was no use; the grin on his face was ever widening as he playfully sought to further incite the beauty planted in his bed.

"Sooo… I guess, in that case, I probably shouldn't ask what this is."

He then reached behind his back and lifted up a hanger, revealing a black, lacy Babydoll lingerie outfit.

This time, Miranda's jaw really dropped and her eyes went wide. "Give. Me. That!" She cried and reached out across the bed, snatching the garment from Shepard's hand.

Shepard laughed lightheartedly and again held up his free hand in submission. "It was just hanging there and I didn't see a Cerberus logo stitched on it anywhere, so I thought, you know, maybe…" His voice trailed off, not finishing the thought as Miranda looked at him with murder in her eyes.

Miranda, still at a loss for words, simply continued to stare back at Shepard. After a few seconds, she finally just shook her head in disbelief and slowly allowed a smile to reappear on her face. She was mortified to think he had gone through her clothes downstairs, but couldn't quite find it in herself to remain genuinely angry about it. She couldn't help it. Looking back at him, as he continued smiling ruefully back at her, the shock and annoyance just melted away as she thought about how much she loved the man. Though, she didn't dare tell _him_ that. Not yet anyway.

And to be fair, she had long ago been through every single drawer, locker, and cabinet in the Commander's quarters.

Letting out a long breath, she finally said, "So, where are we?"

"Just a few hours out from Omega. I've already called ahead and arranged for a dry dock. We'll owe Aria something for that, I'm sure."

"Ah huh," Miranda said, nodding suspiciously. "I better get dressed then."

"Right. So… what are you going to put on?" Shepard asked, completely failing to keep a straight face.

"The cat su—," Miranda caught herself, "—my _regular_ outfit."

She then held up the Babydoll and said in a suggestive voice, "_This_, you should be so lucky to see me in."

* * *

Several hours later, the Normandy was docked in a relatively discrete port on Omega.

Miranda wasn't entirely comfortable with whatever arrangement Shepard might have to make with Aria in order to gain access to the dry dock facilities on this section of Omega, but she admitted they had precious few other options immediately available to them. Still operating outside of Alliance jurisdiction and no longer having access to Cerberus resources and facilities, they would have to improvise for the time being.

On approach to Omega, Shepard had made it official with the crew— He was taking possession of the Normandy by invoking his Council Spectre authority, announcing the ship would no longer be flying Cerberus colors.

He went on to offer his gratitude for the jobs they had all carried out so heroically during the last six months and to express his pride and respect for each and every one of them. He then presented the crew with a choice:

"For those of you that would like to remain in my service aboard the Normandy, you are welcomed. However, the requirement for this option is your formal resignation from Cerberus. Those that wish to continue your employment with Cerberus, XO Lawson will arrange for your transfer off ship once we arrive on Omega and assist with transit off-station. Whatever your choice, see XO Lawson prior to our docking and she'll sort you out."

Not a single Cerberus crewmember opted to leave the Normandy, which made for a busy final hours of flight for Miranda as they approached Omega. Not only did Shepard insist that all who chose to remain aboard officially cut ties with Cerberus, many also needed help in arranging relocation of family or notification of friends and relatives. Fortunately, Miranda was able to leverage dozens of favors owed to her to help provide for the crew and ensure they could continue to serve the Commander without fear for their loved ones' safety.

But truth be told, Miranda knew that the rank and file crewmen wouldn't be of significant interest to the Illusive Man as reprisal targets. The actual concern, and what she knew Shepard understood, was the need to vet them thoroughly enough to be sure their loyalties did not remain with Cerberus as they continued serving onboard. It was not an exact science by any means, but Miranda threw herself into the task enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, after completing a thorough walk around inspection of the Normandy and directing the dock workers and repair droids Aria had allocated to the most severely damaged sections of the ship, Jacob, Zaeed and Garrus insisted on dragging the Commander to Afterlife for drinks and general rowdiness.

Tali, while tempted to trail after Garrus and the Commander, chose to hang back with Daniels and Donnelly and oversee the start of repairs to the Normandy's hull and drive core.

Mordin and Legion were consumed by their research into the data pulled from the Collector base and couldn't be bothered with field trips at the moment. Samara mentioned she was going to visit someone in the apartments bordering the Gozu District, and Kasumi seemed content to curl up in the observation room, immersing herself in the graybox she treasured so much.

As Garrus and Zaeed dragged him off, Shepard simply shrugged his shoulders and held his palms upward in a gesture of powerlessness, a grin on his face, as he passed Miranda.

Miranda simply stood at the top of the ramp, just outside the Normandy's primary airlock, with her arms crossed under her breasts, rolling her eyes at Shepard's pathetic attempt to feign reluctance to be dragged away to the club.

Grunt nearly knocked her over as he enthusiastically stomped down the ramp after the Commander and the rest of the group, clearly excited to tag along and seek out whatever trouble he could find.

Thane, pausing briefly next to Miranda as she composed herself, assured her that he would watch over the Commander vigilantly and ensure they made it back to the ship in one piece. She nodded slightly at the drell in appreciation as he too tracked off behind the men.

In truth, Miranda was more than happy to remain on board and avoid having to set foot out onto the filthy streets of Omega. She really did despise this place, she thought to herself.

Instead, she took comfort in retreating back to the solitude of her office where she could direct the ongoing repairs and continue her work on freezing the accounts allocated to the Lazarus cell. There, she took pleasure in methodically transferring hundreds of thousands of credits away from various clandestine Cerberus projects and placing them in new, untraceable accounts she and Shepard would need in order to continue running the Normandy and paying the crew.

As she sat at her desk, preparing to move on to the data acquired from the Collector base that EDI was busy deciphering, the chime for her office door sounded.

"Enter," Miranda absentmindedly called out without bothering to look up from her monitor.

As Jack approached the desk, she scrutinized the woman sitting on the other side with a cold, resentful stare. She observed that Lawson was wearing the white and black, skintight outfit she often dressed in that showed off her ridiculously perfect body. Jack noticed that the Cerberus logo that typically adorned the upper left breast of her top had been removed.

"So it's true, then," Jack scoffed. "Cerberus' number one cheerleader has quit the team."

Miranda looked up suddenly, startled to hear Jack's voice and find her standing in front of her desk, glaring down at her. She quickly composed herself and allowed her face to go blank, hiding her shock.

Miranda noted that Jack, apparently recovered from the previous day's battle, was looking much healthier but still wore her customary scornful expression.

Taking in a long, deliberate breath, Miranda clasped her hands in her lap and sat back in her chair before finally acknowledging the tattooed woman before her. "Jack. How are you feeling?" Miranda asked, trying to sound genuinely concerned.

"_I'm fine_," Jack said, glowering back at Miranda and clearly annoyed at the suggestion of weakness.

"I'm glad to hear it," Miranda replied evenly, smiling slightly.

"Listen, I didn't come here to thank you for doing your fucking job back there on that base—I don't owe you shit!" Jack nearly shouted, leaning over Miranda's desk with one hand placed aggressively on the composite surface. "It was a fucking horror show in there and I was dealing some serious pain on those alien assholes, making it safe for you and the dog-legged chick to follow!"

_Why was this woman always yelling?_

Miranda refused to take the bait from the unpredictable biotic, remaining seated and calm, looking back vacantly at the persistently angry woman. "Of course. I completely agree, Jack," Miranda lied. This ungrateful child would be an ugly smear upon the floor of the Collector base if it hadn't been for her quick response—that is, if that Collector base floor hadn't been vaporized with the rest of that godforsaken place, she thought smiling to herself.

But Miranda didn't want to waste any more of her time arguing with Jack. The mission was over and, admittedly, she had played a significant role. But that was done now. Rather than continue to fight with Jack, Miranda preferred to devote her energy toward the countless important tasks that lay ahead of her.

And frankly, she really didn't care about any supposed debt Jack might owe her. She just wanted the woman to go away.

"Good. Anyway, I'm getting off this boat. It's been fun and all, but I've got other shit to do," Jack said.

_Oh thank god_. Miranda had been hoping that the revolting woman would choose to leave soon after completing the mission. Jack made her feel uneasy in a number of ways. Not least of which were the long talks she and Shepard had shared over the last few months—many of which she had monitored from her office. Those interactions left her disturbed and feeling strange. _Was she jealous?_

"I see. Of course, your payment for services rendered has been secured. I can transfer the funds wherever you like," Miranda said.

"Good," Jack said, tossing a data pad on the desktop in front of Miranda. "The information's all there."

"Very well. Though, you know there's still quite a lot we can accomplish on the Normandy, even without Cerberus support. You could remain and continue on working with us. The Reapers are still an impending threat," Miranda said, wondering why she decided to voice the point.

"Oh shut the hell up, princess. You don't want me here anymore than you want Jacob to stick around."

"What?!" Miranda felt her anger rising, Jack having finally hit a nerve.

"It's pretty obvious," Jack said, gesturing broadly with her arms. "Now that you're shacking up with Shepard it's got to be a little awkward having the Ex around, right?"

"Jacob is _not_ my Ex!"

"Yeah, but you fucked him, right? That's still something—"

Miranda shot to her feet, thoroughly worked up now. "You're out of line, Jack," she warned threateningly.

"_Relax_, cheerleader," Jack said condescendingly. "I'm not spreading it around or anything. But maybe you should let Shepard know he's not the only one onboard that's had the pleasure of getting into those tight pants of yours."

"He is aware of my past relationship with Jacob," Miranda said through gritted teeth, her fists clenched in anger but still remaining at her sides while she fought the urge to throw Jack against her office door. She's just trying to get my blood up, Miranda told herself. This was obviously a defense mechanism Jack used when faced with uncomfortable realities—like the fact that she owed Miranda her life.

"Oh…_right_, well that's good, I guess," Jack shrugged. "I'm sure the three of you will have all kinds of laughs hanging out together. Anyway, thanks for paying me. I'm out."

Jack gave Miranda a mock, two-fingered salute as she turned around and defiantly strode out the door.

Miranda was left standing behind her desk, staring ahead at the spot Jack had just occupied and fuming with anger.

* * *

Jack was pissed off as she stomped down the metal utility stairwell down to her hidey-hole in the Normandy's sub deck. Stopping on the last step, she paused and looked around the small space with a defiant scowl on her face.

When she had reluctantly come aboard the Normandy months ago, she chose this spot within the ship to make her own. It was out of the way of prying eyes and offered her the solitude she craved.

She'd certainly lived in much worse conditions during her life. The truth was she had grown contented with the dark confines of her basement quarters with its utilitarian cot that she slept on and the constant hum of the drive core she found strangely comforting. Honestly, she felt safe down here—more so than she had in a very long time.

Early on in the mission, she instinctually sought the privacy this place afforded her. Except that Shepard never seemed to leave her alone for very long, constantly coming down here to talk or ask questions about her life and experiences.

She tried to shock him at first, revealing some of the most heinous acts she'd committed throughout her years of piracy and mercenary work. He might have been a little incredulous about some to the events she described, but he never seemed particularly shocked or repulsed.

Jack couldn't figure him out. _What did he want from her?_

It wasn't sex; she figured that out straight away. On one occasion that he'd made his way down to talk, she'd practically thrown herself at him, pulling her top off and rubbing herself erotically against him as she forcefully grabbed his face and locked him in a powerful, hungry kiss.

Instead of taking advantage of Jack and the casual sex she was offering, he had gently removed her hands from around his neck, placed them back down in front of her, and leaned over to pick up her discarded garment to hand back to her.

In that moment, his face had revealed very little. He wasn't shocked, angry or even offended. But there was a little sadness and disappointment in his eyes. _That look nearly crushed Jack._

That was the last time Jack had attempted to seduce the Commander so overtly. But it wasn't the last time he made his way down to her dark little hole to chat it up and urge her into thinking better about herself or her future. _The man was relentless._

But Jack was damaged goods. A broken thing emotionally that would never again resemble a normal, well-adjusted woman. This much she knew. Hell, she even embraced it.

Normal was boring. Normal was vulnerable. Jack wanted to be neither.

And now it was time to leave her little sanctuary. She couldn't stand to stick around this place any longer—that much she was certain of. They'd gotten the job done and she'd get paid for the work. She told herself this was no different than the all the other merc contracts she'd fulfilled over the years.

But the voice inside her that never seemed to fail her—the one that always sounded the alarm when it was time to get out before the shit got too real—didn't seem to be crying out as loudly as she thought it ought to.

It's because this place felt like home and the people onboard like family, she thought to herself before she could think to squash the notion.

_Fuck that._

Not when that arrogant bitch Lawson could claim some kind of debt from her. She wouldn't stand for that shit. _God, she hated that woman._ Everything she stood for made her sick and want to spray the walls with her stupid, superior whore blood!

_And she had the balls to go and fucking quit Cerberus._

Seeing her with Shepard made it even worse. They were doing their best to be discrete about the whole thing, but it was pretty fucking obvious. Jack saw it early on when Shepard would look at that bitch and grin that stupid Boy Scout grin he would get. And she knew they'd started sleeping together weeks ago. _She could smell it on them._

Every day the Commander seemed to grow more and more captivated with the Cerberus cheerleader.

_I mean, fuck!_ I get that she's got an amazing ass and her tits are about as perfect as tits come, but _Jesus_, can you give it a rest, Shepard?!

Jack sighed heavily and sat down on her cot, looking around the little cave that had been her home for the last few months.

_Home_. It did feel like that, didn't it?

But it was time to get the hell out of here before anything else uncomfortable happened.

She reached under the cot and retrieved the canvas, olive drab duffle bag she'd brought on board months ago and started shoving her meager possessions into the sack, determined to get off this ship without any more trouble or any awkward goodbyes.

Despite her best efforts, tears began to well up in her eyes. _This Goddamn ship_, she thought—it was the best home she'd ever had.

_Fuck_.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a distant corner of Omega, far from the docked Normandy, a loan cloaked figure hastily maneuvered her way through the crowded pathways of the Tuhi District.

The petite human woman strode ahead uncertainly, looking around continually as if she feared pursuit from some unknown follower.

The numerous businesses that lined the dimly lit ped-way were crowded with all manner of customers: Turian, krogan, human, asari, volus, and even a few drell crammed themselves into and around the shops and bars.

The station's rank as the half-forsaken detritus of the galaxy was displayed in sharp relief. The walkways were filthy, littered with crates and other debris piled about haphazardly. Steam steadily rose from the grates between the grates in the floor, emitting from some unseen industry below, and every few meters coolant or lubricant leaked steadily from the walls and ceiling.

Stumbling over the prone body of a batarian who was either drunk or had been knocked unconscious, she was startled by several vorcha huddled around a burning barrel. She recoiled as the fearsome looking creatures turned to glare at her, snarling menacingly.

Hurrying forward, she came to a prominent stairwell that led downward to the entrance of a sub-level warehouse. Stopping at the top of the stairs, she quickly raised a small data pad to her eyes, checked the information on the display, and cautiously proceeded down the steps.

Arriving at the base of the staircase, she came to a locked doorway. Moving to the right of the heavy, metal doors, the woman glanced at the data pad once again and then rapidly punched in a series of characters into the key pad mounted on the wall.

A moment later, the doors slowly slid open, revealing a cavernous, dark and hazy interior. Hesitating briefly at the opening, her skin prickling with foreboding, the woman quickly looked around and behind her one last time before hurrying inside.

Peering into the gloomy interior beyond, she paused a few meters inside the room to allow her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. She jumped slightly as the heavy doors closed behind her, a loud metal-on-metal bang echoing loudly throughout the space.

Regaining her vision slightly, she rapidly looked to her left and right and noticed six imposing looking human men standing vigilantly along the walls to either side of her. They all wore nondescript, heavy black or dark green armor, partially concealed underneath long black cloaks, and wielded fearsome looking assault rifles.

The woman felt herself cowering as the armed men scrutinized her.

Looking back toward her front, she could now make out a lone figure at the far end of the large room. She took in a stealing breath and then grudgingly proceeded forward toward him.

Approaching to within a few feet of the man, she observed he was also human and wore a heavy cloak over black, scalloped armor. A small, bright yellow Cerberus emblem stood out prominently upon the center of his chest piece.

Jet-black, greasy hair fell messily around his vaguely Asian features and the cybernetic implants on his forehead and jaw. Where his eyes should have been, dim yellow lights peered out at her through thin slits cut into a tactical visor that seemed surgically attached to his face.

Looking up timidly at the man before her, the closely cropped red hair that framed her delicate, lightly bronzed face was apparent under her cloak's hood. Her deep green eyes revealed the fear and uncertainty consuming her.

The man studied the small, pretty woman before him for a few moments before finally speaking in a harsh and pitiless tone.

"Miss Chambers. The Illusive Man was pleased to learn you survived your ordeal on the Collector base. We have new orders for you."

* * *

**Author's note:**

Okay, so mainly a collection of short character vignettes here, starting off with a little gratuitous Miranda-Shepard fun. But hey, they deserve it, right? And really, there's not terribly too much more time for their romance in the immediate future. They're riding a bit of a high right now, but there are some dark times ahead for them both.

I love the bitchiness of both Jack and Miranda and feel like that should have been carried on further in the ME2 story arc. We may be saying goodbye to Jack soon for the time being, but I have more Miranda-Jack conflict and banter in store for the future. And Jack clearly has some complicated feelings for Shepard, but I think he views her more as a troubled little sister. We'll see where that goes.

I'm going to wrap up this pit stop in Omega next chapter and then continue building toward a revamped Arrival mission. I was originally going to put all these Omega scenes in one chapter, but in the end opted to get some new content out there sooner rather than later. See you soon.


	5. Chapter 5

The brazen, pulsating beat of Afterlife's house music thumped ceaselessly, vibrating Shepard's chest as he sat in a corner booth of the club's lower level, flames licking up toward the ceiling behind him. Combined with the bright hues of pink and purple neon, the effect was near hypnotic—especially when paired with copious amount of alcohol he'd been drinking over the last several hours.

Across from Shepard sat Jacob Taylor and Zaeed Massani. The former Alliance (and now, former Cerberus) soldier and grizzled mercenary veteran were in the midst of a heated debate over the merits of Kentucky bourbon vs. Scotch whisky. Shepard had sprung for an authentic bottle of each, which Jacob and Zaeed had promptly drained nearly dry between the two of them.

Grunt was a short distance away, planted in front of the semi-circular bar. With an enormous mug of ryncol in one hand, he stood motionless, enthralled with the show going on atop the stage just above the bar. There, three gorgeous, scantily clad asari were strutting and dancing rhythmically to the club's music.

Thane Krios had positioned himself strategically at one end of the bar. From that vantage point, the drell assassin was able to keep one wary eye on their krogan friend and the other alertly watching out for any potential threats to the Commander's group. Shepard smiled to himself at the sight, knowing that Miranda had no doubt asked Thane to remain vigilant while they were out partying.

Also at the booth with Shepard sat Garrus Vakarian. Side by side, these two had fought countless battles, enjoyed great victories, suffered bitter defeats, and lost dear friends. The turian grounded the Commander during the most unsettled times and never failed to speak the truth to him. He was the truest friend Shepard had ever known.

This formidable group of warriors had been at the club for nearly three hours now, drinking to the success they'd just achieved and taking a well-deserved respite from the brutal pace they'd been operating under the past several weeks.

The revelry having reached a lull, Shepard's thoughts turned to the events of the last few days. Specifically, he fixated on the question that had been eating away at him since they returned back through the Omega 4 relay: _Why?_

Why were the Reapers doing this? Why the harvest every 50,000 years? Why were humans the target of this most recent example of Reaper meddling in their galaxy?

He had hoped that the assault on the Collector's base would have provided more clarity. But in the end, he was left with more questions. He felt as if they had only scratched the surface and were still fumbling in the dark, groping for answers.

Sovereign had spoken of the inevitability of the harvest and the need to bring balance to the galaxy, as if the slaughter was born out of some noble motive. But Shepard knew different. The Reaper vanguard espoused a level of malice and hatred toward organics that the Commander had never before encountered. Whatever the reason for this impending extinction event, it wasn't simply to balance the galactic books. These things were more than a force of nature or the unknowable hand of god. Shepard felt certain of it.

Garrus, having noticed his friend's pensive look, reached across the table for the nearby bottle of batarian ale, poured two glasses to the brim and slid one over to the Commander. "Shepard, it looks like you're missing something."

Pulled out of his thoughts by his friend's voice, Shepard took the glass with a crooked smile, raised a toast to Garrus, and downed the drink in one gulp. "Caught me."

Garrus continued to study the Shepard thoughtfully.

"You are aware that you just led a suicide mission through a previously impassable mass relay, right? Oh, and said relay happened to lead to the galactic core, where you confronted an ancient species that had been corrupted into an army of super soldiers, rescued your abducted crew, destroyed the base that launched attacks on human colonies and systematically kidnapped thousands in order to build Sovereign's red-headed-step-child, blew the Goddamn thing straight to hell… Oh, and right… All that with twelve _freaking_ people, who, by the way, you got every damn one out alive!" Garrus paused to draw in a dramatic breath. "You remember that happening, right?" He joked.

"Alright, alright… I know, the thing we just pulled off…it's ridiculous," Shepard conceded, raising his hands in concession before leaning back in the booth, rubbing his hands across the top of his head and exhaling. "But damn it, Garrus, we've both been slogging through this shit for months. We've had our armor splattered with more blood, gore, and brains than I care to remember. And where are we now? Are we really any closer to stopping the Reapers from pouring through another relay and _just_ ending us? I mean, how the hell are we going to stand up to that? Hell, we don't even know how many of those things there are! Hundreds? Thousands? Fucking _Millions?!"_

Garrus listened in silence to his friend's rant. He knew the frustration Shepard had been feeling for months was finally beginning boil over and he needed to vent.

"There's no doubt, Garrus. We put a helluva team together. We kicked the Collector's in the teeth and dished out some serious payback for what they did to the SR-1. But you know as well as I do we're going to need a fuck ton more than a dozen hardened bad asses at our sides when the Reapers get here. And besides, most of the team will be in the wind soon; Zaeed's going to pack it in and get back to tracking down Santiago. Wrex will be pulling Grunt back to Tuchanka any day now. Samara's likely heading back to the Justicar business. Legion's bound to head back to wherever the hell he came from. Jack, well she's just unpredictable at this point. And Thane, for shit's sake, is _dying_. Kasumi, Mordin, Jacob—all wild cards."

Garrus smacked his hand down on the table. "Listen, Shepard. I don't have any illusions either about our chances against a full-on Reaper onslaught. All I'm saying is that we just did _something_—Something that no one else even thought possible. And maybe, _just maybe_, it's enough for the Alliance or the Council or someone in this damn galaxy to take notice and start _listening_.

Shepard inhaled deeply, slowly nodding, as he digested Garrus' words and pulled himself together. "Alright. I get it. And you're right, what we did was pretty damn unbelievable. I know what you're saying—we have to keep moving forward. And we will."

This time Shepard reached over for the bottle of ale, topped off his friend's glass and poured another for himself.

Taking another long drink, Garrus looked back toward Shepard and narrowed his gaze slightly. "So, what are you telling Miranda about all this? What does she think our next move ought to be?"

"We haven't really had time to talk specifically about our next moves yet."

"Right…I'll bet you two haven't been doing much _talking_ lately," Garrus said in his best tongue-in-cheek tone.

Shepard laughed, recognizing he walked into that one. "It hasn't been all like that. She was tied in knots worrying about Oriana after telling the Illusive Man to piss off."

Garrus gave an understanding nod. "Everything's okay on that front, then?"

"Yeah, Liara really came through for her. I think we're solid there."

"Good," Garrus said and then gave the Commander a searching look. "But what about the two of you? What's going on there, Shepard?"

Shepard looked a little taken aback by the question. "Miranda and I...Wait, what are you really asking, Garrus?"

Garrus turned to face his friend a little more squarely. "Listen, Shepard. I don't want to be an unsupportive friend here. I can see you really care for this woman and I'm pretty sure she's more attached to you than she's likely willing to admit. And I respect her. I do. I mean, yes, she definitely lived up to the 'Ice Queen' rep early on, but most of that softened over the months we worked together—you're influence, no doubt. And I'm not going to suggest we can't trust her either, because if you trust her—I trust her." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I just want you to consider what kind of immediate future you two can have together and what that might mean for the fight that's ahead of us."

Shepard studied the turian for a long moment. "You're concerned that having her around jeopardizes my credibility."

Garrus looked at Shepard with a pained expression. "She quit Cerberus. I buy that. Tali buys that too. But Shepard, she's been a poster girl for that organization for a decade and there's likely not a damn thing we can do to change that perception of her. In the eyes of the Alliance and the Council she's always going to be a separatist at best or a terrorist and assassin at worst. And like you just said, the Collectors were just the opening act. The real threat is still out there, lingering just below the surface. We need _everyone _on board for that. And if you're the guy that helps make that happen like I think you're going to have to be, Miranda Lawson at your side may not be the most helpful person to have around when trying to build a coalition."

The picture Garrus painted hurt Shepard, but he couldn't become angry with him over it. He knew his friend was just trying to look after his best interests and force him to consider all the angles. And if he was honest, he knew there was truth in his words.

"I've thought about it, Garrus. I really have. And honestly, I don't have all the answers yet. But what I do know—what I have no doubt about—is that Miranda by our side for this fight makes us stronger than being without her. She's a brilliant tactician, a sound strategist, a deadly biotic, and a remarkably skilled covert agent. It's my job to make the Alliance and Council see her value and look past her history. We have an enemy closing in on us that won't bother to discriminate between Alliance, Cerberus, turian, krogan, asari, salarian, Hare Krishna's—whatever. We've all got targets on our backs."

"Hare what's?"

"Never mind," Shepard waved his hand. "My point is that we've got to make the powers-that-be understand we're all in this together or we'll just get picked off one by one.

Garrus smiled and nodded to the Commander. "Alright, I can buy that."

"Hell, Garrus. The Alliance thinks I'm a liar and just shy of a traitor as it is. And the Council… I honestly don't know what they were playing at with restoring my Spectre status at the same time telling me to get lost. Everything's a little sideways right now."

Shepard paused to take a long breath and stared dead into the turian's eyes. "And I'll tell you what, Garrus. Having Miranda close makes me feel so much better about dealing with this circus we've had to put up with. I wasn't looking for it. I didn't even necessarily want it. But I'm not letting her go or sending her away. Not a chance."

Garrus gave his friend a long look, an expression of understanding on his face, before pouring another round and raising his glass. "Then I can drink to that."

As they downed their drinks, a sullen looking, armor-clad batarian walked up to their table.

Both Shepard and Garrus looked up at the new arrival, staring for a moment before the Commander spoke up. "Anto. Good to see you… I guess. What's up?"

"Aria wants to see you," Anto said in his deep, guttural voice.

"Anto, sometimes I think those are the only five words you know," Shepard said, Garrus chuckling at his side. The Commander sighed and then reluctantly stood up from the table. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

Miranda tried desperately to refocus on her work after Jack marched out of her office. Vainly attempting to quell the anger and annoyance she felt in the wake of the woman's pointed accusations, she finally abandoned all hope of the notion and decided she needed a release for her frustration.

Confronting Jack in a fight to the death was probably imprudent, so she decided that directing her energy toward some exercise would be the more sensible approach. The shuttle bay contained equipment, but crews were busy patching the numerous hull breaches sustained when the Oculus attacked. She wouldn't find the solitude she craved there. But then Miranda remembered that Jacob kept a treadmill in the armory. He was out with Shepard now and that section of the ship hadn't sustained any damage, so the room should be clear.

Her decision made, a moment later Miranda had stripped off her uniform and thrown on tights, tank top, and athletic shoes. For the walk up a deck to the Armory, she threw on a light sweatshirt to wear over her slim fitting tank and was out the door.

A few minutes later, she was running purposefully on the treadmill, pushing herself with resolve and fueled by the anger and irritation Jack had roused in her. She increased her pace steadily as she warmed up, but her mind kept returning to what Jack had said earlier.

Miranda was thrown by the insinuation that she ought to feel uncomfortable about Jacob being on board while she pursued a relationship with Shepard. She had been so wrapped up in the mission, Oriana, and her growing feelings for Shepard she hadn't stopped to consider any awkwardness that Jacob might feel. A couple of months ago, it would have been a non-issue for her. The old Miranda wouldn't have been concerned for the personal feelings of a colleague or how her behavior might upset them. She would have simply done what was best for the mission, for Cerberus, and for herself.

This was still new territory for Miranda. Everything was complicated and unsettled and she felt strangely off balance.

She had been riding such a high before Jack walked into her office, oblivious to nearly everything else other than the wellbeing of Oriana and her growing feelings toward Shepard. But now, old, deep-seeded doubts about what kind of woman she could be without Cerberus and how she could adapt to this new world bubbled to the surface.

She was fighting the urge to crawl back into her old self and abandon these new, muddled emotions that had been stirred within her. It would be so much easier to fall back on her old self; the cold, methodical, detached operative, only seeing the world in black or white. The gray her world was becoming worried her.

The truth was, Miranda now felt a little ashamed of her behavior toward Jacob. And she was keenly aware that that thought would never have occurred to her a few months ago. Before, she was able to detach herself from such trivial emotions without much effort. She never allowed self-doubt or regret to cloud her judgment. Just tie it off and move on, she would tell herself. The next objective was always ahead, not behind. What was in the past was the past and not worth reflecting upon unless there was some significant tactical lesson to be drawn from the experience. She was a cold-hearted bitch; she had no trouble admitting that.

But months ago, when her sister's vulnerability again became an issue, that rigid, uncompromising worldview began to waver. Paired with the shock of nearly gunning down her childhood friend, only to see him murdered in front of her eyes a moment later, the surge of emotion she felt after speaking with Oriana for the first time propelled Miranda in to unknown territory. And Shepard was there to nudge her further out from beyond the icy exterior she'd cultivated for so long, all the while holding the lifeline that kept her from becoming truly adrift and making her feel safe despite her uneasiness.

That day on Illium had set in motion so many unexpected events. It was the day she'd allowed herself to look at the Commander not though the eyes of the callous Cerberus operative, but just as a woman. That moment had never occurred for Miranda when she was Jacob.

During Jacob's initial Cerberus recruitment, Miranda undoubtedly had led him on. She willfully led him to believe her interest in him extended beyond merely his status as a sought after Cerberus recruit. And Jacob had fallen for Miranda—_hard_. And she had encouraged it. At the time, it was a tactic that she felt needed to be employed to secure his services for Cerberus.

She'd used the promise of sex before. It was just another tool at her disposal when endeavoring to complete a critical mission. So alluring was the mere suggested notion that she very rarely ever needed to follow through with the physical intimacy her marks would lust after. But there were exceptions and Jacob was one of them. She regretted the miscalculation ever since.

The invented romance Jacob and Miranda had enjoyed had been brief. She ended it abruptly once he was committed to Cerberus. But Jacob had been left bewildered and hurt by the coldness of her behavior. That caused a level of awkwardness while the two worked together on the Lazarus project, but it was nothing that Miranda couldn't handle.

Tie it off and move on.

But now, after Jack's unfettered accusations pulled her back from the brief dream she'd been living, Miranda wondered if there was really any difference from how she had treated Jacob and what she was now engaged in with Shepard.

Miranda picked up the pace on the treadmill. Running harder and increasing the incline, pushing herself even faster. But despite her best efforts to focus on each step, her mind inevitably pulled her back to a conversation with the Illusive Man she'd been fixating on since Jack left her office an hour before.

It was soon after they'd pulled Jack from the Purgatory prison ship and only days before they faced the Collectors for the first time on Horizon. Miranda was summoned to the Normandy's communications room to brief her superior in person via the ship's Quantum Entanglement Communicator.

The Illusive Man had been sitting, casually smoking a cigarette while fingering a drink at his side as he addressed the concerns Miranda had raised about their newest recruit. "I'm well aware of the unstable nature of Subject Zero's emotional state and the combustible element she introduces, Miss Lawson. In fact, I'm counting on Jack pushing the envelope onboard the Normandy."

Miranda's face had registered confusion, taken aback slightly. "But sir, I'm not certain exploiting her combat potential is worth the risk of having her on the ship. We can easily find others that fulfill that role well enough but that don't endanger the entire crew with their mere presence."

"Miranda, Jack is not present on the Normandy merely to provide additional punch for the ground team. We need to drive Shepard in every possible way in order to evaluate him for long-term Cerberus suitability. In order to do that, I need to test his emotional and intellectual state in ways that cannot be accomplished in a lab." Miranda began to feel as if she was being lectured, the Illusive Man speaking as if he was enlightening a novice apprentice. And she had bristled at the notion.

Taken aback, Miranda cocked her head and replied in exasperation. "So we're running a socialization experiment on the Commander? Sir, please tell me I did not spend two years of my life putting that man back together only to judge his tolerance for sociopaths and murderers!"

"You know that's not the case," he had replied sternly. "This exercise is significant to our overall goal," The Illusive Man had held up a hand to stop Miranda as she opened her mouth again to object. "Of course, the investigation and elimination of the Collector threat is paramount, but don't forget what we're really trying to accomplish here—what we must prepare to confront."

"The Reapers. Yes, sir, I have not forgotten," Miranda conceded. "But, I don't see how this unbalanced woman or Shepard's ability to deal with her aids us in that respect."

"Miranda, I know that you believe as I do that Shepard's significant prowess on the battlefield is only part of his unique equation. He is a natural leader that pulled together an unlikely alliance during the mission to stop Saren Arterius, confronting numerous obstacles and moral dilemmas in order to achieve success. The traits and qualities that allowed for his effectiveness then are the same we need to cultivate now. We'll need that same dynamic leader to emerge to help us acquire the support and influence we need. Our Shepard can be that man again, but he isn't quite there yet."

Miranda still didn't entirely agree with the Illusive Man's methods, but she began to lose her will to resist further, allowing him to continue uninterrupted.

"So, if I need to employ a homicidal and tragically flawed young woman in order to help stimulate aspects of Shepard's mind and emotional development, so be it. He is potentially the most important asset Cerberus has at its disposal. He's not only the potential key to confronting the Reaper threat, but also in lifting Cerberus into mainstream acceptance and paving the way for humanity's elevated influence throughout the galaxy."

"I understand, sir," Miranda had conceded, but still dubious of the usefulness for such psychoanalytic exercises.

"Good," he had replied and proceeded to take another long, deliberate drag of his cigarette. "And, Miranda, along those lines, it would be prudent to initiate another front toward gaining buy-in from the Commander."

"Sir?" Miranda had replied, feeling strangely uneasy.

"The Commander is a man known to be susceptible to the advances of beautiful women," he had said bluntly.

Miranda's shoulders slumped slightly and she had paused for a moment before responding, "Sir, I'm not a prostitute. And if I'm not mistaken, this is an aspect of Chambers' directive. Is it our intention to lure the Commander in further with the promise of a Cerberus harem?"

"Don't be so dramatic, Miranda. And Kelly will carry out her orders as I have instructed. This is merely an addendum to your original mission parameters. I've considered this option further and determined that someone of your caliber may be more suitable for the assignment. He does seem to value intelligence, strength and confidence in addition to physical attractiveness—all qualities that you possess, Miss Lawson. "

"You considered this possibility before?" Miranda asked with a hint of resentment in her voice.

The Illusive Man didn't flinch from the allegation. "I did. But until the Commander was revived and confirmed to be up and running at peak physical levels, the approach was irrelevant. However, we've now moved on to another stage." He had paused to take another sip of his drink before continuing. "Shepard is a complex man. Undoubtedly a hardened combat veteran and charismatic leader, but he's also someone that seems to draw strength from emotional balance. He's at his best when he feels a deep connection with friends and colleagues. He's even better when he feels he's fighting for something _more_."

"You're suggesting he's a _sensitive_ man."

"I'm suggesting we have a better chance of recreating the complete man if we provide every possible catalyst to aid in emotional and cognitive restoration. Besides, he does possess something of a magnetic personality, wouldn't you say."

Miranda had scoffed out loud at that. "Certainly, sir. _That_ has been well chronicled." Miranda was keenly aware of how that silly Williams girl had become immediately infatuated with Shepard during their pursuit of Saren. It must have been quite a blow for her to see the Commander so taken with the asari. But the truth was that he could have had a thousand Ashley Williams', just lining up and gladly opening their legs for the man if only to carve out a small space in his world_._ Miranda detested such women. "And I fully realize that from time to time I've been required to implement extraordinary measures to procure the loyalty of an asset. But is getting Shepard _laid_ really going to advance our goals? For god's sake, I was bloody project director for Lazarus, sir."

"Your point, Miss Lawson?"

Miranda knew this argument was a losing proposition, but the frustration she felt over this affront to her pride forced her to heedlessly push ahead. "My point, _sir_, is in this particular case, I don't see the value in having me or Chambers or any other bloody tart lure the Commander into bed!"

The Illusive Man's response had been stern and unmistakably devoid of any further patience. "Ms. Lawson, I expect you to carry out my orders as I have outlined them. If your advances are rebuffed, so be it. We will still have useful data. But by successfully engaging in a more _personal_ relationship with the Commander, we'll have yet another potential hook to exploit in the future. Am I understood?"

Miranda had attempted to gather her dignity and compose herself back into the stoic operative she prided herself as. "Yes, sir. I will put forward my best efforts toward achieving _all_ of my directives."

"Good. That will be all."

She remembered standing motionless in the briefing room as the holographic interface dissipated, feeling demeaned and stunned.

Miranda was pulled back to the present by the sound of the Armory door opening. She looked up toward the entrance to see Jacob casually walk in, clearly a little drunk, and stop just inside the doorway. He looked surprised to see Miranda and eyed her with curiosity. Shepard and the rest of the men must have just returned. She abruptly shut down the treadmill and came to a halt.

"Hey… Miranda. Getting a little exercise in?" Jacob finally managed.

Miranda was still lost in her thoughts and could only blankly stare back at Jacob, breathing heavily in her sweat stained clothes. She glanced down and saw that she had run the equivalent of nearly seventeen miles.

She studied Jacob in paralyzed silence for a few moments. Did he still harbor feelings for her? Was he torn between the respect he had for Shepard and the resentment he might feel over seeing Miranda with the Commander? Miranda realized that she had never been thoughtful enough to talk directly about the relationship with Jacob, simply continuing to callously ignore him and the history they shared. She suddenly felt ashamed and uncomfortable under Jacob's gaze.

"Miranda? Are you okay?" Jacob asked again, continuing to stare at her with a puzzled expression.

"I'm fine… Thank you. I… just needed to get in a quick run," Miranda stammered, finally having snapped out of her trance. She quickly grabbing the sweatshirt she had brought with her and made for the exit.

"Uh huh," Jacob said, still looking at her suspiciously.

"I need to get back to my duties," she blurted out and made to stride past him and through the doorway.

"Miranda, wait," Jacob said and seized her upper arm, arresting her movement. His grip wasn't rough, but it was firm.

A little surprised by the contact, Miranda turned to look at him with vague irritation—or was it fear?—in her eyes, "Jacob—don't." She then pulled free of his grip and pushed past him and through the doorway.

Bewildered and annoyed, Jacob was left in her wake.

* * *

Late into the Omega evening, Shepard and his friends staggered back up the pathways leading to the Normandy's docking birth.

As they approached the ramp leading up into the ship's shuttle bay, Garrus, Zaeed and Jacob went ahead and made sure the thoroughly plastered Grunt navigated his way up to his tank without causing any damage. Shepard and Thane trailed their companions a few meters behind.

As his friends maneuvered the krogan through the Normandy's cargo hold, Jack emerged from the top of the ramp and strode down toward them with a dark green, beat-up duffle bag slung over one shoulder.

Thane, having spotted the woman, left the Commander's side and went on ahead, allowing Jack and Shepard a moment of privacy. As the drell passed her, he offered a respectful nod that spoke volumes. The woman acknowledged the gesture in kind, a meager smile and a grudging look of respect appearing on her face for a brief moment.

Approaching Shepard at the base of the ramp, Jack stopped as the Commander blocked her route away from the Normandy. "Going somewhere, Jack?" he asked.

"What gave me away?" Jack asked sarcastically as she allowed her bag to drop to the ground beside her. She looked a little closer into Shepard's eyes and said, "Jesus, Shepard. You look pretty wasted."

"What?... No, I'm good. Really. Totally good," Shepard stammered. Truth be told, he was smashed, but years of N7 training not only cultivated elite combat and survival skills, but also a nearly unmatched tolerance for alcohol.

"_Right_. Anyway, it's time for me to get off this boat. I already talked to your girlfriend and squared my payment. I think she's probably going to throw a party of something."

"I see," Shepard said. She was probably right, he thought. Miranda must be thrilled. "You know, Jack, you don't _have to_ go anywhere. We've got a laundry list of work to do prepping for the next threat."

Jack gave the Commander a long, searching look before responding in a resigned tone. "I don't think so, Shepard. We both lived up to our ends of the bargain, so I'll be getting on with my life now."

Shepard looked at her for a long moment before finally asking, "Where will you go?" He knew he wouldn't be able to sway Jack into remaining. It wasn't in her nature. Her instincts were always to fight or run. The fighting was over—for now—so now she was running.

Jack shrugged. "Don't know yet. There's plenty of good merc work to be found in the Terminus, but maybe I'll just take a little vacation… you know, relax on a nice sunny beach somewhere, curl up with a good book."

Shepard snorted a laugh at the image. "Right. You should _definitely_ consider that, Jack," he said with an ironic smile.

Jack smirked back at the Commander. "You know, Shepard, when you get tired of hitting Cerberus Barbie, I'll be available to show you what a _real_ woman can do with her biotics," Jack said while placing a suggestive hand on his chest.

"Uh huh," he nodded, smiling but not really taking her forwardness seriously. "Keep in touch, Jack… and be good."

Jack rolled her eyes and hoisted the duffle back onto her shoulder. "You're an idiot, Shepard." But then her expression turned serious, an authentic look of concern in her eyes. "But be careful out there. And don't trust _anyone_. I have a feeling _a lot_ of shit is about to hit the fan after what you just pulled off."

"Will do, Jack." Shepard said, nodding thoughtfully.

Jack stared back at Shepard for a long moment before apparently making up her mind. She quickly kissed him full on the lips, and without another word, pushed past him and down the pathway that led away from the Normandy and toward the seedy streets beyond.

Shepard turned as she passed, with a slightly sad expression on his face, and watched her stride away with a determined pace, refusing to glance backward. He never saw the tears that welled up in Jacks eyes as she was engulfed by the crowds beyond, disappearing into the heart of Omega.

* * *

Emerging from the elevator at the ship's CIC, Shepard found the night watch crew busy at work. Looking around he noted Miranda's absence. "EDI, XO Lawson's location, please?"

"Miss Lawson has just retired to her quarters, Commander," EDI replied, but then added. "She left instructions not to be disturbed."

Shepard furrowed his brow at that, wondering if there was anything wrong. Maybe she's pissed I've been away off ship so long, he thought to himself. He'd better go check in with her. "Thank you, EDI."

A minute later he was outside Miranda's office, waiting for her to disengage the lock she'd applied to her door. Finally, the door opened and he was allowed to enter.

He found her sitting behind her desk, dressed in her workout attire and drenched in sweat. "Hey. How's it going…? Been working out?"

"Yes. And everything's going very well, Commander. We've made a lot of progress on the critical hull repairs and should be ready to get underway within 36 hours."

Shepard looked at her suspiciously. He could tell there was something off straightaway_. _Since they'd become intimate, Miranda had always maintained a professional demeanor with him while the two were on deck or around the crew, but they were alone in her quarters now. Something had upset her, he was sure of it. "I just ran into Jack. She was on her way off the ship. She's gone."

"I'm aware, Commander," she responded matter-of-factly while still not looking up from her terminal.

Shepard stood there in silence for a few moments before finally asking, "Are you alright, Miranda?"

"Of course, I'm fine, Commander," she replied in her practiced, businesslike tone. Shepard was wholly unconvinced.

"Alright…" Shepard said.

Miranda seemed to think better of her curt reply and finally looked up to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry, John. I'm just tired. I'm going to finish this up, get a quick shower, and then knock off to bed," she said and smiled weakly.

Shepard studied her for a moment, knowing something was bothering her. He opened his mouth to probe further, but then closed it, thinking better of it and deciding not to press the issue tonight. Reluctantly, he finally said, "Okay," and managed a sympathetic smile. It went unsaid that she would be sleeping in her own bed this night.

Miranda looked up at him appreciatively, seemingly relieved that Shepard had let it go at that, and said, "Thank you. Good night."

Shepard then nodded and left her alone as he walked out the office. As the doors closed behind him, he was left wondering what he'd missed while he was away at Afterlife. Finally conceding that Miranda and her emotions might always remain something of a mystery, he sighed and made his way back to the elevator.

As the doors to the lift closed, Shepard's thoughts turned to Jack's leaving. He knew she was only the first of the team that would be heading out in the days ahead.

Garrus was right. He should be celebrating their victory. It was a job well done.

But instead, Shepard was left only with a feeling of foreboding, troubled by what the future would bring next.

**Author's note:**

So again, this and chapter 4 were originally all going to be one chapter, but it would have been pretty long, especially with the flashback thrown in. So, for the sake of getting content out more quickly I decided to break up the work.

I don't want Shepard to necessarily come off as defeatist here, but I do want to illustrate that he's realistic about where they are in the fight.

I think we have to put Miranda's 'thawing' into context here as well. She's still dealing with some internal conflict and figuring out how to adapt to feeling these new emotions and transitioning into a new life. At the outset of the mission, there was an entirely different dynamic going on from where we start off in this story. How she went from the femme fatale temptress to (apparently) falling in love with Shepard is something I want to track a little further.

In the next chapter we'll head out from Omega and hopefully mix in a little action while we're at it. I'm getting closer to some of the chapters I've really been looking forward to writing for a while, so please stay tuned! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Miranda awoke early and got to work straightaway. Donning her black leather uniform for the day, she planned to keep herself exceedingly busy tending to countless administrative tasks, overseeing system repairs, monitoring the ongoing resupply, and continuing to work with EDI on siphoning Cerberus funds out of accounts previously dedicated to the Lazarus Cell. The work was all important and legitimate uses for the XO's time, but she harbored a thinly veiled ulterior motive—distancing herself from Shepard and avoiding being caught alone with him.

Starting off in her office, Miranda made herself some strong tea from her in-room beverage center and grabbed one of the numerous energy bars she had stashed away for a quick breakfast before sitting down behind her desk.

A couple hours later, she emerged from the XO's quarters and proceeded quickly up to the CIC, careful to check with EDI on Shepard's location prior to making her way up. The ship's AI advised her that he had just arrived in the CIC. _Good_, she thought. There will be plenty of crew around starting their shifts and providing cover for her. Understanding that while she hoped to avoid being caught alone with him, she knew she still had to report in with the Commander and go over ship's business for the day.

When Miranda arrived, she found the Commander at his terminal near the galaxy map. Approaching, she noticed that he looked like he hadn't had a very restful night's sleep, appearing a little haggard and unshaven. _He probably has a substantial hangover after yesterday's long stay at Afterlife, _she thought to herself.

She greeted him with a pleasantly neutral smile and began to lay out the tasks the ship's crew would attend to, the progress from the previous day's work, and her own schedule for the day. She kept their conversation as brief as possible while trying not to appear in a rush to break away. As was her custom when the crew was around, she kept their conversation strictly professional. However, as she finished her report, she noticed that the Commander appeared distant and his eyes unfocused, as if distracted by something.

Despite her desire to get to work and avoid having to discuss anything personal, Miranda couldn't help but be a little concerned. "John, are you alright?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Shepard nodded absentmindedly in response and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for the report, Miss Lawson. That will be all."

Miranda stared back at him with an inquisitive expression, but didn't reject her opportunity to leave. "Very well, Commander," she said with a curt nod, turning on her heel to leave and march back into the ship's elevator.

After leaving the bridge, Miranda first made her rounds through the Engineering deck, grateful that the risk of running into Jack in that area was no longer a concern. However, after going over a number of items with Engineers Daniels and Donnelly, she found herself standing in the deck's sub-level, near Jack's cot, looking around as if in a trance. Eventually, she snapped out of it and made her way back up to her office for more admin work.

For much of the rest of the day, she conducted an elaborately choreographed dance of making sure she was always on a different level of the ship from where Shepard was at any given time. She took her lunch meal in her office, careful not to meet the Commander in the mess area while she retrieved her tray, and made sure she was busy in another part of the ship when he eventually sat down with Garrus, Jacob and Tali for his own afternoon meal.

Eventually, she made her way to the Shuttle Bay to check on the ongoing repair work in that area of the ship. Stopping to chat with several crew members busy finishing patching a breached section of the hull, halfway down the deck, Miranda turned at the sound of the elevator and saw Zaeed emerge, dragging behind him a large, wheeled footlocker.

Miranda wasn't surprised to see him. EDI had advised her earlier that the mercenary was taking his leave from the ship and the XO had arranged for his payment to be delivered to the accounts he specified. She also already learned that he had taken a contract from Aria—though she didn't know the details of the job—and would be departing via a private transport shortly.

Following him out of the elevator was Garrus, Jacob and Shepard. _Damn_, she thought. She had lost track of the Commander's location and was now essentially stuck. Zaeed stopped just outside the lift and spoke with both Jacob and Garrus, saying his farewells to the men he'd formed a strong bond of camaraderie with, and then shook their hands. The turian and Taylor took the lift back up, but Shepard walked alongside Zaeed down toward the Normandy's lowered cargo ramp—and Miranda.

Though she acquired a certain respect for the Massani, Miranda still found him a little dodgy with his brash behavior and sordid personality. Nevertheless, he had brought a certain ruthless quality to Shepard's team that proved critical on several occasions over the last few months. His relationship with the Commander had started off rocky and they enjoyed a tenuous partnership at best, but eventually the mercenary and Shepard found a common ground and respect. Shepard grew to trust the older man and greatly valued his vast experience. Losing a man so skilled in killing, despite the unorthodox methods he often employed, was a blow to the Normandy's squad.

As they approached, Miranda attempted to look busy, glancing down at the data pad she held while keeping a discrete eye on the pair. As they came abreast of her, she looked up and offered the grizzled veteran a respectful nod and said, "Good luck, Massani."

Zaeed returned the nod and said, "Same to you, darl'n," winking his good eye as he passed her, making Miranda's skin crawl. He had at least learned to refrain from gawking at her so overtly since it had become known that the operative and Shepard had become an item. The Commander simply smiled vaguely at their exchange and continued walking the length of the cargo bay alongside the mercenary.

Miranda watched the pair trudge down the Normandy's ramp, Zaeed dragging the heavy footlocker behind him. At the base of the ramp the two men stopped and spoke for several minutes before they shook hands and finally parted ways. Shepard then walked back up the ramp into the ship's cargo bay, making his way back toward the elevator and Miranda's location at the opposite end of the deck.

Miranda quickly looked back down at the data pad she was holding and then approached several crewmen working on a nearby systems overhaul of Shuttle 2, using the excuse of requesting a status report in order to avoid speaking with Shepard as he came back her way. But it was unnecessary. As he walked by, his gaze remained fixed ahead, a subtle frown on his face and seemingly lost in thought as he strode by.

* * *

Shepard woke that morning with his head throbbing. After leaving Miranda's office the night before, he had stumbled straight back to the elevator and up to his quarters. Once there, he had collapsed onto the bed, not bothering to shed his clothes, and allowed himself to pass out.

Now, after a little over six and a half hours of dreamless sleep, he was stirred awake by EDI's voice over the in-room comm. "Commander, I have an encrypted priority message inbound marked for your eyes only."

Sitting up on the edge of the bed while fighting the acute dizziness that assaulted him as he righted himself, Shepard rubbed his blurry eyes with both palms. "Thank you, EDI. I'll take it here."

"Very well, Shepard. Message delivered to your private terminal. Logging you off."

Struggling to his feet, he walked up the short set of stairs to the terminal as his headache intensified with every small step. Leaning over the desk to activate the screen, he found the new message and decrypted it.

_Shepard,_

_Word has it that you and the Normandy made it back in one piece from beyond the Omega 4 Relay. I'm relieved to hear it. _

_I'm stepping down as Councilor soon and there's a lot we need to discuss. Don't contact anyone in the Alliance or the Council until you speak with me first. Get here as soon as you can._

_-Anderson_

Shepard frowned as he squinted down through his bloodshot eyes at the brief message, reading it again. _Why was Anderson giving up the Council seat?_ He knew the old man had never been thrilled to take up the diplomatic post in the first place, and the Admiral had reiterated that point when the two met several months earlier, but this felt sudden.

With a sigh, Shepard retrieved an analgesic for his head, finally kicked off his boots, stripped out of his slept-in clothes and jumped in the shower. Twenty minutes later he was out the door and on his way down to the crew deck for a quick breakfast.

Emerging from the elevator he turned the corner and glanced toward Miranda's quarters. The door was closed as usual and he suspected she was barricaded inside, working away at her terminal. Deciding not to bother her yet, he made a beeline for the kitchen and retrieved some coffee and a tray of some unrecognizable substance from Mess Sergeant Gardner.

Shepard nodded to the few crewmen that were sitting in the mess area and grabbed a seat at an empty table. Scratching at the stubble on his face after deciding to skip the shave this morning, the Commander sipped his coffee in quiet contemplation for a few minutes. His mind drifted back to the previous evening at Afterlife when he briefly met with Aria. She didn't want anything in return for the use of her dry dock facilities—_not yet at least_—but he would owe her, alluding to some future service she might call upon in order to square the debt.

"My advice, Shepard," she had told him, "don't trust anyone. You survived your little fieldtrip to the Collector's world, but in doing so I think you'll find you've made even more enemies. The Illusive Man is obvious, but there are other forces that may align and work against you, despite all your successes."

Aria had kept it vague and he knew there wasn't much use on pressing her on specifics. Besides, he was well aware that with success breeds animosity. _Hell_, an ancient race of world destroying starships was after him—what are a few more ass holes joining the party going to hurt, he had thought cynically.

But Jack had echoed Aria's warning to stay vigilant. And now Anderson was telling him virtually the same thing. On top of it all, Miranda's suddenly giving him the cold shoulder.

_Crap, this day's going to suck._

Looking down gloomily at the tray in front of him, he thought better of it and left the meal untouched. Getting up from the table he deposited the contents of his tray in the trash, refilled his coffee, and made his way back toward the elevator. Eyeing the door to Miranda's office as he passed, he again decided to leave her be.

A few moments later he emerged in the CIC and made his way to his terminal and began going over the ship's business for the day. As he stood there reading through duty reports from the previous day, he caught a glimpse of tousled red hair in the corner of his eye. Looking to his right, he saw Kelly arriving at her typical workstation on the opposite side of the galaxy map. He noted she was a little late to her station and that she too looked like she hadn't had a very restful night's sleep. She looked a little jumpy as she logged onto her terminal and looked up nervously as a pair of crewmen walked by.

_The poor girl must still be pretty shook up after her abduction and imprisonment on the Collector base_, Shepard thought to himself. As he made a mental note to check up on her again soon, he heard the elevator open behind him and a moment later Miranda was at his side, keeping her typical formal distance while on duty.

He turned slightly toward her as she greeted him with a forced smile and a sorry attempt to pretend nothing was bothering her. She was wearing the black outfit that he found her particularly fetching in. But the XO was all business this morning. And as he allowed her to dictate her briefing, he found his mind wandering. He kept turning back to the message from Anderson, pondering the meaning behind it.

Miranda seemed to notice his lack of attention and asked if he was alright. Snapping out of his trance, he nodded and said "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for the report, Miss Lawson. That will be all."

She gave him a curious look and paused for a moment, but didn't argue with the curt dismissal. He then watched her turn around and head back into the elevator, allowing the doors to close behind her while she kept her back to him.

_Definitely going to be a crap day._

Several hours later, Shepard met up with Garrus, Tali and Jacob in the mess area to share an early afternoon meal. By then his mood was improving somewhat and his hangover dissipating. He still hadn't mentioned anything about the message he'd received from Anderson, but wasn't entirely sure why he was keeping it to himself. Perhaps it was his desire to share it with his XO first, he thought.

Thinking of Miranda, he still hadn't seen or talked to her since early that morning. At first, he accepted the behavior as typical, as she often kept herself busy with one thing or another. But as the day went on he was becoming wise to her efforts to avoid him. As he and the rest of the group were finishing up lunch, he decided that he'd allowed her enough space for the time being and would go find the woman.

However, as he made to get up from the table, EDI's voice came across the comm. "Commander, Mr. Massani asked that I inform you of his impending departure. He is finishing gathering his belongings now on the Engineering level."

The quartet all looked at each other, none surprised by the news, and Shepard replied, "Thank you, EDI. Tell him I'm on my way down."

Garrus and Jacob tagged along to say their goodbyes to the gruff, elder statesman of the squad. It had been a rough start to their partnership with the mercenary, but the four men eventually all developed a common respect for one another and even a genuine friendship.

After intercepting Zaeed, the four descended in the elevator together to the Shuttle Bay where Garrus and Jacob said their farewells and then allowed Shepard alone to accompany the mercenary the rest of the way off-ship.

As he walked the length of the cargo bay alongside Zaeed, Shepard noticed Miranda standing up ahead, apparently supervising some of the hull repairs. _So this is where you've been hiding_, he thought.

As they passed his XO, she gave Zaeed a nod of respect and wished him luck. In reply, the mercenary veteran said in his gravelly voice, "Same to you, darl'n," and gave her a wink. Shepard couldn't help but smile a bit at that, knowing it was harmless but that Miranda was likely repulsed by the gesture.

Continuing down the ramp and stopping at nearly the exact spot Shepard had said goodbye to Jack the night before, the two men talked for another couple of minutes. Zaeed told the Commander a little about his new contract with Aria, which Shepard thought was a little dicey. His gruff friend then urged the Commander to be vigilant as they prepared to get underway from Omega and not to trust anyone other than the remainder of the squad. _Good god, this pattern is getting ridiculous_, Shepard thought to himself.

Shaking hands with Zaeed, Shepard turned and walked back up the Normandy's ramp and through the cargo hold. As he passed Miranda's location, he saw out of the corner of his eye as she hastily approached several crewmen and requested a progress report. However, he didn't break stride, momentarily forgetting about his earlier plan to confront her. He was again lost in his own thoughts, Anderson's words floating in his head: _Don't contact anyone in the Alliance or the Council until you speak with me first. Get here as soon as you can._

* * *

Later that day, Samara advised Shepard that she too would be saying farewell before the ship departed Omega. After speaking with her for nearly twenty minutes, Shepard felt deflated as he walked out of the Starboard Observation deck. He knew this was coming, but seeing Jack, Zaeed, and now Samara all leave the Normandy in the span of less than twenty-four hours troubled him. Since waking up all those months ago on Lazarus station, and throughout this mission, he had grown to think of this group of people as his family. And now, much to his dismay, they were scattering.

At nearly a thousand years old, the asari's experience was unrivaled among the crew and losing her presence on the ground team would be a blow. But more than anything, Shepard would miss her counsel. Beside the budding relationship he enjoyed with Miranda, and his longtime friendship with Garrus, Tali, and Joker, Shepard had become closest with the Samara and the drell assassin, Thane. The Commander and the Justicar had formed a strong mutual respect and he valued her advice above nearly anyone else's on board.

A little later that evening, Shepard returned to the CIC and prepared to see Samara off. She had been making her way through the ship and was now finishing up her goodbyes on the main deck before departing. Unlike Zaeed, the Justicar had no baggage to carry off the ship with her. She was literally leaving with only her weapons and the clothes on her back.

Standing atop the short flight of stairs that led toward the bridge at the bow of the ship, Shepard watched as the asari said her farewells to the crew on deck, including Thane, Garrus, and Tali, who had all gathered to wish her well before she left.

As he stood and waited patiently for Samara to finish her goodbyes, Shepard caught sight of a sudden flash of raven-black hair emerge from the elevator. Miranda rushed forward and looked around anxiously. The XO then appeared to discover Samara still present on deck, exhaled in relief, and then carefully moved to a quiet corner of the deck, near the entrance to the ship's lab.

After she finished speaking with Thane, Samara recognized Miranda standing off to the side and immediately walked over to meet her, a palm extended in friendship. Miranda smiled and shook her hand and the two proceeded to talk for several minutes, out of earshot from the rest of the crew.

Like himself, Shepard knew that Miranda had formed a unique relationship with Samara. Over the months, his XO had earned a grudging respect from Garrus, Tali, and even Joker—though he felt certain his pilot was still a little afraid of her. Their diminutive Japanese thief, Kasumi Goto, enjoyed something close to an actual friendship with the former Cerberus operative, even occasionally speaking with her about topics outside the scope of their mission. But it was the venerable asari Justicar that truly commanded Miranda's respect. As confident and independent Miranda surely was, Shepard couldn't help but see that she _admired_ Samara—and possibly even looked up to her. And now the Commander watched with keen interest as the two remained locked in conversation, speaking in hushed voices and further solidifying a strong bond that had evolved over the months.

Finally concluding their conversation, Shepard watched as Miranda smiled softly and closed her eyes, nodding slightly at some apparent words of comfort or encouragement from the asari. Samara then placed both arms around Miranda's shoulders and pulled her into a warm hug. As he watched the touching scene unfold, knowing Miranda's unhappy family history, it seemed to him almost like the comforting embrace a child might receive from her mother.

After the two women parted, Samara made her way back toward Shepard but his gaze remained fixed on Miranda. His XO lingered in the corner, apparently deep in thought, and then exhaled noticeably. She then raised her head and met Shepard's eyes from across the room. Even from that distance, he could see that tears were welling up in her deep blue eyes. In that moment, it was all he could do to restrain himself from rushing over to her, feeling a sudden urge to take hold of the woman he'd fallen for and pull her in close. Instead, he gave her a tender smile and nod of approval.

Miranda returned the smile hesitantly, but then suddenly turned and rushed through the door behind her, disappearing into the ship's lab.

And then Samara was at his side. "I am now ready, Commander," she said.

* * *

Standing just inside the Normandy's lab, Miranda looked around and found the room was mercifully empty. Mordin Solus could usually be found here around the clock, but the salarian doctor must have been off somewhere else on the ship.

Saying goodbye to Samara had been more heart wrenching than she could have anticipated. Miranda would miss her terribly. But after speaking with the asari, she had found the resolve to finally go and speak with Jacob about the topic she'd been dreading for so long.

Crossing the short breezeway between the Lab and Armory, Miranda paused for a moment just outside the door to compose herself before entering. She took a deep, steeling breath, wiped the moisture from her eyes and proceeded in.

She found Jacob busy working on weapon modifications at the bench opposite the doorway, his back remaining facing toward her as she walked in.

Miranda cleared her throat and spoke far more timidly than she intended. "Jacob, may I have a word?"

"Help yourself to the treadmill Miranda. No need to ask," he said without turning around, continuing to work on his project.

She hesitated for a moment, fighting the urge to turn around and bolt from the uncomfortable situation, but then gathered her determination. "No, thank you. I actually needed to talk to you about something."

Finally turning to face her, Jacob gave Miranda a look of curiosity mixed with mild annoyance. "Alright. What's on your mind, Miranda?" he asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the workbench.

She looked at him uncertainly for a moment, and then approached to stand a little closer. "I need to apologize to you," she began abruptly.

Jacob furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side slightly. "I'm listening."

Miranda inhaled deeply and pressed on. "I've treated you poorly. Not just lately, but for years, really. I've been terribly selfish and neglected your feelings, never bothering to show you the respect you deserved. You saved my life on more than one occasion and put up with the dreadful bitch I've been for a very long time."

His jaw hung agape slightly as she spoke. "Wow, Miranda, this is… unexpected, but—"

Miranda held up a hand to silence him and said, "Please, Jacob, I need to finish."

She awkwardly pushed ahead like a nervous student presenting to a classroom full of judgmental peers, trying her best to get through it as quickly as possible. "I never bothered to give you any real explanation for why I ended our relationship so suddenly. I know you think I was merely incentivizing you further to join Cerberus, and… well, yes, I guess that was why it began. But the truth is there was more to it for me. I need you to know that I truly did care for you—and still do. I allowed myself a very brief moment then to think I could have something normal—something personal—in my life. But it couldn't last. You understand that, right? The work we had ahead of us was too important—far too critical to allow emotions to cloud and distract from the trials we faced. I just couldn't let it continue."

"But you allowed Shepard to _distract_ you while we planned one of the most critical missions in the history of mankind," Jacob said without bothering to hide his disdain.

Miranda blanched and briefly averted her eyes from Jacob's piercing gaze, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "It's true," she continued in a quieter voice. "I allowed that to happen despite my better judgment—the judgment I didn't waver from when it came to you years before. I was horribly insensitive to your feelings back then and even more so when my relationship with the Commander strayed beyond appropriate professionalism. I ignored you and I was cruel. I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm _so_ sorry."

Jacob took a deep breath and seemed to relax his stance somewhat. There was an awkwardly long silence as the two stood before each other. "I appreciate that, Miranda. But you don't have to pretend what you and I had back then is the same as what's going on between you and Shepard. I see how you look at him when you don't think anyone else is paying attention. And I get it. Hell, that' Commander _freaking_ Shepard. My ego's solid, but I know that man has an edge I can't top."

Miranda closed her eyes in a pained expression. "I won't lie to you Jacob. The feelings I have for Shepard _are_ different than when we were together. But it's not because of his fame or his accomplishments or any of that!" She sighed and bowed her head. "I honestly can't tell you exactly what it is. He helped me out of a tight spot and then something just clicked for me. I'm still trying to sort it all out. But don't sell yourself short. You're a _good_ man. And one that deserved far better than how I treated you. The fact is I don't deserve you _or_ Shepard. I'm not a good person, Jacob. I'm _poisonous_."

Jacob sighed and then suddenly seized both her shoulders in a firm grip. "Stop it, Miranda. You've been burying yourself underneath all this coldness and cutting yourself off from other people for so long you can't find which way is up. For the first time in years I'm seeing you allow glimpses of someone authentic— someone _real_— to break through. That's Shepard and whatever you two have started together. It looks genuine to me so quit finding excuses to run away. My advice; you should embrace it and go all-in. You know damn well there's no turning back to the Illusive Man or going back to that old life."

Looking like a deer in the headlights, Miranda exhaled and allowed a meek smile to appear on her face. "Thank you, Jacob. I appreciate you saying that… And I really am very sorry."

Jacob gave her a look of silent understanding, smiled kindly and then suddenly pulled her into a gentle, but firm hug.

Standing there in Jacob's powerful arms, she allowed her shoulders to slump, the weight she'd been carrying around finally dissolving away.

* * *

After seeing Samara off, Shepard walked back through the CIC, again pondering their next move. _At least she didn't tell me not to trust anyone. That's something, I guess_, he thought.

Heading back toward his private terminal, he caught sight of the Armory door opening. It was Miranda again. Without pausing, she made straight for the elevator.

Deciding he'd had enough of her vanishing act for one day, Shepard pursued Miranda into the lift. Just as the doors closed behind him he hit the stop, preventing the elevator from moving or opening.

"Miranda, what the hell is going on?" he demanded.

Miranda looked up at him, momentarily startled by his sudden appearance. With a great exhale of breath and an apprehensive look, she knew she couldn't play dumb or avoid him any longer. "I'm sorry, John… I've just had a lot on my mind today and needed to focus on work for a while. I can't explain it yet and I'm sorry I've been distant. I'm just working through some things and need a little space. _Please _don't think that I'm angry with you."

Shepard studied her a moment and continued, softening his tone. "Come on, Miranda. I know we've been through a lot the last few weeks but I thought you and I were in a good place."

"_We are_," she said in pained exasperation. "It's not us. Well, it's not you—it's me. I'm just wrapping my head around some things."

"Did Jack say something to upset you before she left?" he asked.

Miranda averted her eyes unconsciously at the pointed question, unable to conceal her discomfort before responding wholly unconvincingly. "No… well, yes. But it was nothing."

"Listen, Miranda. We've got to trust each other here. I think we have something pretty special going and I don't want to see you shut down and crawl back into your shell anytime something upsets you. Can't we talk about whatever this is?"

"John, I do trust you! And we do have something special—I think so too," she smiled despite the uneasiness she was feeling. She fidgeted a little the data pad she was handling and continued. "And we will talk soon—I promise. But I'm just not ready right now."

Shepard sighed, clearly unsatisfied with Miranda's responses, but could also tell she genuinely felt she needed some alone time. "Ok. I'll give you your space—_for now_."

"Thank you… for understanding," she said gratefully.

"So, do you want to come up tonight?"

Miranda looked anxious again. "I think I'm going to stay in my quarters again tonight, John. I'm sorry."

"Okay. No problem," he said, not bothering to conceal his disappointment, and then extended a hand to reengage the elevator.

Miranda reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, holding him back from restarting the lift. "John, I want to go and see Oriana—soon."

Shepard looked back at her and flashed an understanding smile. "Of course. We have to the head to the Citadel next, but once we're through with some quick business there I'll get you to her. Okay?"

She nodded and smiled back at him, allowing her grip on his forearm to relax and slide down to hold his hand instead, squeezing it lovingly. "Thank you."

That small gesture did wonders for Shepard's spirit, feeling the rock that had been forming in his gut throughout the day instantly dissolve. "You know you're beautiful even when you're going out of your way to avoid me," he said, smiling a little easier now.

Miranda then reached up to caress his face in her hands, kissing him full on the lips. "I'll make this up to you. I promise," she whispered.

"I'll hold you to that, Miss Lawson," he said and pulled her into a closer embrace.

* * *

The next morning, the Normandy set out from the Omega Nebula bound for Citadel space. Shepard had announced his decision on their next destination several hours before the ship was set to depart Omega. With Anderson's message still bothering him, the Commander was eager to get underway.

With their destination locked in, Joker eased the frigate gently from its berth within the Omega dry dock and maneuvered her through the massive airlock doors that opened up to the nebula beyond.

The most critical repairs to the Normandy were complete. And though much of the work wasn't pretty, with several ugly hull patches the best they could manage with the resources available on Omega, the ship was sound and again ready for combat should they run into trouble.

The Normandy SR2 designation remained, but Shepard had all Cerberus insignias removed, painted over and replaced with the emblem of the Citadel Council. The Commander knew his status as a Spectre was nominal at best and his authority little more than ceremonial at this point, but he felt that in the absence of an Alliance charter they needed to legitimize their status as they set out from the Terminus. And it never hurt to suck up a little to the Council as they made their way back into _civilized_ space.

Standing behind his pilot and staring out through the forward facing windows of the bridge, Shepard steeled himself for what would lay ahead.

Thanks to information EDI extracted from the Collector's base, the leadership of the Normandy now knew just how imminent the threat was. Though they had been successful so far in deciphering only a small fraction of the data, what they had found was startling—The Reapers were still coming and they would be here soon.

It was time for the Normandy to get back in the game.

**Author's note:**

Ok, so I know I promised a bit of action after last chapter but I got a little carried away with all the Shepard-Miranda interactions and squad member farewells. And I'd rather churn out a smaller chapter every week or so rather than construct larger ones that take much longer to polish. I've got a lot of story to tell and expect this fiction to go on for quite a few months. But the pace will be picking up a bit in the chapters ahead—I promise. ; )

The two parallel stories at beginning tracking first Miranda's and then Shepard's day wasn't something I originally planned, it just kind of came together on its own. Let me know how it worked for you or if you found it confusing or awkward.

The mystery contract Zaeed has with Aria will become known later on down the line (I hope—I've got to remember to come back to that).

I hope I'm not portraying Miranda as too soft here. I think she's maneuvering her way through a major transition at this point, so there's some internal conflict to deal with. But she's still the hard-edged operative we've all come to know and love. And that edge is going to come to the forefront again soon as she'll figure prominently in our re-telling of the Reaper war.

I don't think we'll ever learn exactly what Samara said to Miranda, but it certainly seemed like something she needed to hear.

And Samara's going to have something more significant to do later in the story too, but for now I wanted to give a glimpse of the understated relationship between her and Miranda. Given Miranda's lack of a mother and her only parental experience being that of having a distant, cold, and driven father, it makes sense to me that she might look at Samara as something of a motherly figure. That might open up some more fun interactions in the future.

I originally wasn't going to write the bit about Miranda's talk with Jacob, but I came around to the idea as something that could help further demonstrate the process she's going through at this point. Miranda's going to struggle with the person she's been in the past and the woman she's trying to become in the future. It's going to be a process and no easy transition for her.

As always, thanks for reading and I love to hear your feedback.


	7. Chapter 7

Striding through the halls of the Presidium, Commander Shepard's party made for an impressive spectacle.

Knowing there was no real way the Normandy could arrive and dock at the Citadel and go unnoticed, Shepard decided he might as well be bold with the team's entrance.

The news of the Collector defeat had already spread throughout much of the galaxy and Shepard felt no reason to hide the faces of those that helped end the threat. He knew that neither the Council nor the Alliance would likely ever formally honor the men and women that saved countless thousands from a gruesome fate, but he refused to hide them from the public. He proudly walked alongside his team, happy to have the crowds associate each and every one as members of his crew.

Shepard led the way, clad in the black N7 battle armor that had carried him through the last six months of skirmishes and combat and ultimately culminating in the Collector base assault. Flanking the Commander was his XO, Miranda Lawson, and the turian, Garrus Vakarian. Like the Commander, Garrus had donned the well-worn armor that had seen him safe through the Collector campaign. Miranda, as was her style, chose a skintight, black leather outfit that emphasized her toned and attractive body. She walked close beside the Commander, rocking her hips with a grace and purpose that turned heads.

Shepard stole a glance at the raven-haired beauty walking beside him and smiled. He could sense that Miranda had turned a corner. Over the last two days, she had undoubtedly gone through some soul searching—much of which Shepard still didn't fully know the details of—but now appeared to have emerged herself again. He could sense the self-assurance she once again radiated and hadn't failed to notice the easy, reassuring look she had given him this morning when they met in the CIC, just prior to setting out from Omega.

Whatever had been shared between Samara and Miranda, his XO now appeared rejuvenated and set to tackle any obstacle. Feeling her poise buoyed Shepard. After seeing four key members of the Normandy's team depart in short order, he had been struggling to shake off the loses and get back to the top of his game. But now, feeling Miranda's cool and easy attitude, Shepard felt reenergized and focused.

Following closely behind Shepard, Miranda and Garrus was Grunt, Mordin, Jacob, and Tali. Flanking the group and keeping a discrete distance were both Kasumi and Thane. The thief and assassin kept a watchful eye out for any trouble, as unlikely as it was.

Conspicuously absent was their unlikely ally, the geth platform, Legion.

Shortly after departing Omega that morning, Legion had advised Shepard that it was time for the programs contained within his platform to return to the region of space beyond the Perseus Veil and rejoin the rest of the geth. Just before reaching the relay that would take them out of the Sahrabarik system, a small geth frigate rendezvoused with the Normandy and retrieved Legion.

Once again, the crew complement of the Normandy had been reduced by one.

Arriving at the human embassy, the team piled out of the elevators and proceeded into the spacious reception area of the human Councilor's office. The pretty female receptionist's face registered shock as the group led by the Commander filed into the small space.

"Spectre John Shepard and crew of the Normandy SR2 to see Councilor Anderson," Shepard announced. At the Commander's side, Garrus and Tali chuckled as the receptionist's jaw dropped at the site of the bizarre group of individuals before her.

"Uhh… Of course, Spectre Shepard… Let me announce your arrival to the Councilor," the poor girl finally managed to blurt out.

"No need, Diana," David Anderson said in a deep, gravelly voice. "I could have heard this group coming all the way from the Wards." The Councilor had just emerged from his office. The tall, dark skinned military man approached Shepard and extended his palm in welcome.

Taking Anderson's hand, the Commander noted that while his former mentor was still just shy of fifty, the gray within his closely cropped hair was increasing and a few more fine wrinkles lined his forehead.

"I thought you might make more of a _discrete_ entrance, Shepard," Anderson said with a wry grin.

"You know me, sir. I was never one for subtlety," Shepard said, still clutching the Councilor's hand warmly. "Besides, not really any way to conceal the Normandy's arrival on the Citadel these days."

"Sure enough," Anderson said in a strangely wary voice and surveyed the impressive group of characters before him. He gave a friendly nod to the familiar faces of Garrus and Tali and studied with curiosity the austere looking drell man and massive krogan. But his eyes settled for an extra moment on the strikingly attractive dark-haired human woman clad in black leather that stood flanking Shepard. She returned his gaze with a smoldering look that nearly caused the Councilor to take a step back.

Of course he'd seen the woman before when she accompanied the Commander to the Citadel nearly six months ago. He later learned her name was Miranda Lawson, though Alliance also had record of her using at least a half dozen aliases. Back then, she had prominently worn the emblem of Cerberus just above the left breast of her outfit. That unmistakable symbol, he noted, was now absent.

"Well, it's one helluva an impressive team you have with you, Shepard," Anderson said and then raised his voice an octave and addressed the group. "Though I'm not sanctioned by the Citadel Council or the Alliance to formally recognize or even acknowledge your actions, I want to tell you all that you've done a tremendous thing for humanity and the greater galaxy. I only know a fraction of what you've accomplished over the last half year, but even that is damn impressive. Sincerely, thank you all."

A few of the team looked around at each other hesitantly, a little taken aback by the gracious human Councilor. They had become accustomed to taking their cue from Commander Shepard, and as he was smiling appreciatively and shaking Anderson's hand once again, the rest of the team relaxed, and nodded in acknowledgment with a few "thank you, sirs" mixed in.

Anderson continued to look around at the impressive group, nodding in approval and pride. "Now, Commander, I think it's time we spoke in private. There's a lot we need to discuss."

"Agreed, sir," Shepard said and motioned for Miranda, Tali and Garrus to follow him into the Councilor's office. "But I'll need my command staff to be a part of the debriefing," he said in a confident voice that suggested his terms were not negotiable.

Anderson gave Shepard a curious look and paused for a moment, his gaze once again settling an extra tick longer on Miranda. He then shrugged and said, "fair enough. Let's get started," and proceeded into the office.

Shepard nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "The rest of you are dismissed and free to take some time for yourselves. I'll see you all back on the Normandy by 1900 Citadel time."

* * *

Over the next ninety minutes, As Councilor Anderson sat behind his desk, cup of coffee in hand, Shepard, Miranda, Tali and Garrus laid out all the relevant details about their mission against the Collectors, including the shocking discovery that the strange and reclusive aliens were, in fact, the remnants of the Prothean race, corrupted and augmented by the Reapers.

They recounted the team's acquisition of the IFF device from the derelict Reaper corpse before its orbit decayed, plunging the massive ship into the brown dwarf, Mnemosyne.

They revealed the nature of the geth schism and how, with the help of a lone geth platform, had repurposed the Reaper virus to return the heretics back into the main geth fold, effectively ending their aggression toward organics. And while Garrus and Tali exchanged sideways glances as Shepard suggested that the geth could even become potential allies against the Reapers, Anderson seemed intrigued by the idea.

And finally, Shepard and Miranda reported firsthand on what they'd found lurking within the Collector's massive station. The discovery of the Human-Reaper construct and its eventual destruction stunned the Councilor. As the former Cerberus operative finished detailing the process by which the Collectors had liquefied humans and used the broken-down genetic material to apparently facilitate Reaper procreation, Anderson stared back at them horrified and looking a little ill.

Composing himself, Anderson finally spoke again in a quieter voice. "It's as disturbing as your initial reports suggested, Shepard. And you believe the purpose of this Reaper embryo was to take the place of Sovereign?"

"That's one possibility," Shepard said. "But there's no way to know for sure. My gut tells me that they intended to mow through every human colony in the Terminus—and beyond—to complete the thing and then make another run at the Citadel with the Collector and heretic geth forces in support. But it's just conjecture at this point. The real significance is that they chose to target humans alone for that purpose."

"Yes. And we still don't fully understand _why _the Reapers find humanity so unique or see us as a threat to be singled out," Miranda interjected. "One possibility is human genetic diversity offers some kind of added benefit to the Reapers. But again, we unfortunately can't say for sure. For all we know, it may have been Shepard himself. He was revealed to the Reapers as the primary contributor of Sovereign's defeat, hence the Collector's pursuit and destruction of the original Normandy. His actions may have simply raised their awareness of the significant resistance we would pose to an invasion."

"That gives me such a warm fuzzy when you put it that way, XO," Shepard said, cracking a smile despite the awful subject.

Miranda shot him a withering glare and said, "The comment wasn't intended to inflate your ego further, Commander." Her expression then softened and it appeared she was attempting to stifle a grin.

Anderson starred back in silence, glancing back and forth between Shepard and Miranda and taking it all in. He exhaled and asked, "Did you pull anything concrete from that base before taking it out?"

"Yes," Miranda spoke up decisively and then pushed a data pad across the desk to the Councilor.

Looking down at and then picking up the tablet Anderson looked at Miranda with keen interest. "What's this?"

"A likely trajectory of Reaper forces as they travel to our galaxy," Miranda said with cool precision before continuing to explain further. "The vast majority of the information we downloaded from the Collector base has proven to be extraordinarily difficult to decrypt. However, thanks primarily to the powerful VI Cerberus installed on the Normandy SR2, we have been able to identify a record of Reaper-to-Collector transmissions. Using this data, we are able to extrapolate a rough velocity and heading. The origin of these transmissions has been steadily nearing our galaxy."

Anderson furrowed his brow and stared back at Miranda. "You're saying the Reapers are traveling from dark space to the Milky Way as we speak. _Right now_?"

"Correct," Miranda said succinctly. "And they have been for some time. In fact, we estimate that the Reaper broadcasting this signal to the Collectors began approaching shortly after the Battle of the Citadel, two and a half years ago."

The Councilor turned back to Shepard, a probing look in his eyes. "Shepard?"

Shepard nodded solemnly. "It's true, Admiral. They're on their way."

"Apparently we just slowed the bastards down when we took out their shortcut into the galaxy through the Citadel relay," Garrus chimed in. "They're relentless sons of bitches. Once Sovereign went dark, we think they just dusted off their FTL drives and decided to go on a little road trip."

"At something close to 30 light-years per day—more than _double_ of what our fastest ships are capable of," Miranda again jumped in. "And we have no understanding of how this is possible or how they're fueling their journey across such a vast distance."

"And we don't know how many are in the force that's coming?" Anderson asked the group.

"No," Shepard said flatly. "But the evidence suggests there could potentially be _a lot_."

Anderson sat behind his desk and absorbed the information. "You have a signal. You have an approximate speed. Do you know when and where they'll arrive?"

Again, Miranda took the lead on explaining the limitations of the incomplete data the Normandy had acquired. "Because we only have a partial picture of the Reapers' travels, there's no way to be certain of an arrival timeline. Our initial estimates are anywhere from three to seven months from now. The specific entry point into the galaxy is also nearly impossible to know. We can only hypothesize they'll target a mass relay somewhere along the outer rim—possibly one that's unmapped or otherwise unknown to us—in order to gain quick access to the major populated systems."

Anderson looked back in silence at the party assembled in front of him for a long moment and then placed both hands down upon the desk, as if steadying himself after absorbing the stunning news. "It's everything we've feared, Shepard. And it only reinforces my decision to step down as Councilor."

"I was wondering when you'd be getting to that, sir. I don't understand how relinquishing your Council seat helps our cause," Shepard said.

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room," Anderson said as he surveyed the group, pausing an extra moment to meet Miranda's intense stare, a wary look on his face. "These are dark days for the Alliance, Shepard. There's a shadow war underway within the Systems Alliance between loyalists that want to continue our partnership with the Council races and hardliners that sympathize with Cerberus and its humanity-first stance. The future of the Alliance as we've come to know it is hanging in the balance."

Anderson took a breath and continued. "Thanks in large part to widespread Cerberus infiltration, extremists are gaining influence within some of the most critical elements of our military and political apparatus. And there are a growing number within the Alliance that view the Collectors' incursions against our far-flung colonies as an excuse to rein-in the human outposts in the Terminus and bring them to heel."

"There's already a lot of displeasure in the Terminus and other colonies over the Alliance's lack of action against the Collectors," Shepard agreed.

"Indeed," Anderson said. "And no doubt the Alliance coming in and pushing its weight around now could easily escalate the unrest and turn it into an all-out civil war. The resentment coming from the frontier colonies is palpable. I've never seen the tension this high, Shepard."

Miranda crinkled her brow and gave Anderson an inquisitive look. "You must have known that for years Cerberus agents have been among Alliance ranks. But they've always just been a very select minority, placed in key positions to help influence policy and never to be too outspoken as to expose their true allegiance."

"That's true," Anderson agreed. "But in recent months, those elements have grown more bold. As I'm sure you're aware, after the Battle of the Citadel, Cerberus influence grew significantly. Many more sympathizers sprang up in the wake of seeing humanity take such a beating while helping to protect the Council and the Citadel. A number of high-ranking military and political officials became outspoken against the Alliance's coalition with the turians, asari and salarians and our efforts to fight the geth in territory far from home. It started slow, but over the last year the momentum's been picking up. There are more and more rumblings all the time of power struggles within different Alliance agencies and offices."

Miranda nodded somberly, knowing that while she was dedicated fully to the Lazarus Project, the Illusive Man was no doubt expanding his strategy to affect meaningful policy change within the Systems Alliance.

"But there's more to it than simply Cerberus sympathizers butting heads with the Alliance's old guard. I can't fully identify all the factions involved yet, but there are even more unpredictable and disturbing elements in play. Over the last few months, there have been far too many reports of unlawful detainments of both humans and non-humans by Alliance Intelligence operators. It's becoming all too common for people—even notable government officials—to be picked up for one reason or another, sent to black sites and subjected to extreme interrogation and coercion methods." Anderson paused and let out a long, deliberate breath. "It's an attack on the very soul of the Alliance, Shepard. We're in danger of falling down a very slippery slope toward an autocratic and extremist state of galactic human governance."

Shepard stared back at his former commanding officer, a thoughtful look on his face. _Had the Alliance really changed that much in less than three years_, he wondered.

"And now, you've kicked up one hell of a hornets nest, Commander," Anderson said.

Shepard looked a little taken aback. "Meaning what exactly, sir?"

"You've got enemies on all sides of this, Shepard. The Alliance loyalists are pissed that you hitched your wagon to Cerberus and feel your association allowed the outfit to gain even more mainstream acceptance beyond the fringe elements and frontier outposts."

Miranda gave the Commander a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid that's not unexpected, John. The Illusive Man always intended for your partnership to help broaden Cerberus' appeal among the more conservative human elements and temper the organization's extreme reputation."

Anderson looked at Miranda curiously for a moment, catching the woman's casual use of the Commander's first name.

Miranda looked away from the older man and silently kicked herself for the slip.

"It couldn't be helped, Anderson," Shepard said forcefully. "The Alliance was sitting on their hands while the Collectors decimated colonies in the Terminus. Someone needed to act."

"I know, Shepard. And I'll admit it; in retrospect, it was a blunder. But you have to understand that no one knew for sure that it was even really you out there. A lot of people thought that Cerberus simply cloned you to trot your image about and hold up your name. Even I couldn't be sure it was really you when we first met here six months ago. For god's sake, Chief Williams, Dr. T'Soni, and Moreau all reported seeing you spaced with no apparent means of survival! We had to have our medical techs pour over the scans we collected from the security checkpoints before we could be sure you were the same John Shepard I knew before." Anderson shrugged, "Once I had that information, I fought to get the Alliance behind you and tried to marginalize your association with Cerberus. But I lost that battle."

Shepard sighed, conceding the unbelievable nature of his return from the brink of death. "Well, that's done now, Admiral. I've completely cut ties with the Illusive Man. The same goes for Lawson here and the rest of the former Cerberus crew. They're all with me now and I'm running the Normandy under my Spectre authority, for whatever that's worth."

"And that's the other side of it, Shepard. We're hearing rumblings that the Cerberus sympathizers within the Alliance are viewing you as a traitor. And while that fact helps make a case for you with the loyalists, the Illusive Man hasn't been shy about throwing your name around the last few weeks and aligning himself with what you accomplished in the Terminus. As we speak, Cerberus is busy spreading propaganda about how you and they took down the Collector threat, which is proving to be a boon to their recruitment efforts in the colonies _and_ closer to home."

Shepard looked back at his mentor with a conflicted expression. "Anderson, I'm not going to defend the Illusive Man's methods, but the perception in the Terminus is that Cerberus is the only legitimate organization that's looking out for their interests. And frankly, Cerberus _did_ help bring down the Collectors. They put me back together, gave me a crew, a ship, and damn near unlimited funding. I broke ties with them because I disagreed with the way the Illusive Man intended going about fighting the Reapers. But at least they've actually been doing _something_ to prepare! All I've gotten from the Council and the Alliance is denials and attempts to discredit me."

Anderson leaned back in his chair, placed his hands in his lap, and sighed. He understood the frustration Shepard felt. It must have been maddening from his perspective. "That's not entirely accurate, Shepard," Anderson said carefully.

"_Meaning?_" Shepard asked as he leaned forward in his chair and fixed his stare on the Councilor.

"Meaning, I wasn't entirely truthful with you when we spoke before, Shepard. I'm sorry." Anderson admitted. "The fact is we did recover a significant amount of debris from Sovereign after it was destroyed. Alliance R&D is in possession of pieces, as is the turian military and salarian STG research divisions. The asari won't admit they have anything, but that's obviously a lie. The Council still isn't sold on the idea that the Reaper threat is everything you claim it to be, but there's pretty wide consensus that what we faced during the Battle of the Citadel was beyond the geth's capability."

"And yet the Council still went out of its way to paint me as some kind of lunatic conspiracy theorist," Shepard said, his voice tinged with resentment.

"I know, Shepard. You didn't deserve that, but even after all you'd done, humanity still had very little influence with the wider Council. But you have always had supporters within the Alliance— Admiral Hackett and I included—and we pushed back as much as we could."

The Commander leaned back in his seat again, an odd look of resignation on his face.

Anderson took a sip from the coffee cup on his desk. "Neither the Alliance nor any of the Council races will openly acknowledge the threat, but that's really just to avoid mass panic across their populations. I can tell you that there are back-channel efforts within the Alliance Navy to do whatever we can to prepare. We've intentionally inflated fears over geth and batarian aggression to bolster our defense spending, up recruitment, and turn out new warships in numbers beyond what we lost at the Battle of the Citadel. We've even been quietly working with the turians to ease the Treaty of Farixen restrictions on dreadnought numbers for both our navies. They may not entirely buy the Reapers in the form you've described, but those people have been fighting wars long enough to recognize the early signs of a new threat—and understand the danger in ignoring it."

"I think that goes without saying," Garrus spoke up. "Seeing Sovereign knock turian dreadnoughts around like toys wasn't good for our collective ego."

Anderson nodded in agreement. "But the chaos within the Alliance military and political leadership is threatening to sabotage all these efforts. That's why I'm stepping down as Councilor. I've got to help Admiral Hackett get our house in order and force the agitators into the open." He picked up the data pad Miranda had given to him and held it up. "This information only makes it more urgent."

"Alright," Shepard said with a sigh. "But if you're busy propping up the Alliance, who's going to maintain the dialog with the Council and keep that well from being poisoned?"

"Udina," Anderson said flatly. "He's coldblooded and overly ambitions, but he's a true believer in the need for humanity to be a player in the galactic community. He'll work to keep the Alliance engaged with the Council and keep us from pulling back toward isolationism. We don't like each other, but there's mutual respect between us. He's already on board with the decision. I'll stay on officially as his military attaché, but will be free to spend most of my time dealing with the crisis at home."

Shepard studied the Councilor for a few seconds. "Okay, I know what you're doing. What do you need from me? Where can the Normandy help?"

Anderson looked at him with a grave expression. "For now, Shepard, I need you to drop off the radar and lay low for a while."

Shepard didn't bother trying to hide his displeasure. "Sir, that's ridiculous," he said pointing to the data pad Anderson was still holding. "The Reapers could be here in a matter of months. I'm not sitting on my hands while we wait to see where they happen to drop in!"

"Shepard," Anderson continued in a stern voice. "I'm not asking you to remain idle. By all means, follow up any leads you have and get me more intel on the Reapers. But I can't have you mixed up in all this political wrangling—not yet anyway. Your status and reputation is too divisive at this point."

Miranda turned to Shepard with a sympathetic expression. "He's right, Commander. Despite all the successes, you're a polarizing figure. Inserting yourself into this power struggle could be incredibly destabilizing."

"Listen to your XO, Commander," Anderson counseled. "She knows what she's talking about." He then turned to address Miranda directly. "In fact, Miss Lawson, I believe you may have some insight into how Cerberus might influence regime change."

Miranda blushed slightly, but didn't respond to the jab at her dubious past, and instead returned his gaze with a cold stare. She was well aware that Alliance and Council Intelligence services had tracked her clandestine activities for years.

Anderson turned back to the Commander. "I want to also caution you about overplaying your Spectre status. The Council's in an awkward position after you acted under their authority while accepting funding and resources from Cerberus. With all the noise the Illusive Man is making now, they could very well look for a reason to disavow you."

Shepard shrugged dismissively. "Well, again, they didn't leave me much of an alternative."

"Agreed," Anderson said. "But you've got a target on your back now more than ever. There are forces in play that won't hesitate to take you out if given the right opportunity, Commander. You know what kind of collateral damage could result from that."

Shepard let out a long sigh, seemingly conceding the struggle for the time being. "Alright, I'll keep my distance—_for now_. But don't expect me to sit on the sidelines for long."

"Of course not, Shepard. When the time's right, I'll get you back in the game. But first I need to get back on the ground and assess the situation personally. In the meantime, I'll authorize resources and a resupply for your ship. But I'd advise you don't remain on the Citadel. The longer you're here the more attention you'll attract."

Shepard nodded slowly, a pensive expression on his face as he sifted through all they'd just discussed. "Point taken. We'll be underway again as soon as the re-provision is complete. I'll setup on Illium. Liara has an influential presence there that we can leverage."

"That's a sound plan, Commander," Anderson said. "I'm afraid I can't offer you any _official_ Alliance support yet. You're still technically listed MIA, but Hackett and I will keep pressing to have your rank and status restored. We want you back in the family, Shepard."

"Thank you, sir," Shepard replied in a subdued voice.

Anderson looked him square in the eyes, a sympathetic expression on his face. "Son, I meant what I said before. I'm damn proud of what you and your crew have accomplished. I'm ashamed the Alliance and I weren't there standing behind you. You've done a helluva thing."

With that, Shepard, Garrus, Tali and Miranda stood and shook hands with the Councilor in farewell.

As the group walked out of the Councilor's office, Miranda turned back briefly to find Anderson watching her intently. But this wasn't the typical leering she was accustomed to. Instead, Shepard's former commanding officer seemed to be sizing her up, wondering how far he could trust the mysterious woman.

Despite herself, she flashed a genuine smile at the man, just as the door shut behind her.

* * *

Eight days later, Miranda sat comfortably in the forward cabin of a chartered shuttle that was rapidly approaching the asari world of Illium. Kasumi was in the seat across the aisle from her, curled up and happily sleeping away the final hours of their journey. Aside from the pilot and crew, the two women had the vessel to themselves, Miranda having booked a private transport for the trip to and from Eden Prime, where she had spent the last week with her sister, Oriana.

After their meeting with Councilor Anderson, Miranda had stayed on the Citadel with the rest of the Normandy's crew to help oversee the resupply prior to the ship's voyage to Illium. Less than twenty-four hours later, Commander Shepard had taken the ship out of her docking bay and set out once again, minus his XO and master thief.

Following through on his promise to release her in order to visit Oriana, Shepard had first proposed simply taking Miranda in the Normandy. But she had quashed the notion, pointing out the unwanted attention the Normandy's arrival on Eden Prime would inevitably bring. And so it was that the Commander had conceded his XO's more discrete plan of arranging a private transport off the Citadel and under an alternate identity.

However, the extra caution that Shepard exhibited in matters that involved Miranda didn't relent all together. He wanted her to bring Grunt along for protection, fearing the expected Cerberus retribution attempts. She had told him he must be mad if he thought she was going to allow that overgrown, infantile krogan anywhere near Oriana and that she'd be perfectly fine traveling alone. After all, she had survived countless high-risk solo missions over the course of her career with Cerberus. But he wouldn't budge completely. He countered with the insistence that she at least bring Kasumi and refused to take no for an answer. Finally, she submitted to his stubbornness and agreed to bring their Japanese squad mate.

Thinking of their conversation later, Miranda mused that he had likely intentionally started off with the offer of sending Grunt, knowing she'd refuse outright, and then be more agreeable to the idea of bringing Kasumi. _Damn him. He wasn't a bad poker player, after all._ She was beginning to find his overprotectiveness toward her a little aggravating, but still, it was touching to see how much he cared.

But in the end, Miranda found she was grateful to have her unlikely friend along for the trip. Kasumi was friendly and approachable to virtually everyone on the Normandy, but Miranda and she seemed to have hit it off more easily than the operative ever would have dreamed likely. In many ways, the two were kindred spirits and the XO felt more relaxed with the diminutive woman around.

But just before the two set off to catch their commercial transport, Miranda learned that they would not be the only ones missing the Normandy's journey to Illium. Thane had come to the Commander and announced that he could no longer continue serving with him on the ship. The drell that Shepard had formed such a close friendship with was staying behind on the Citadel.

Thane explained that his condition was steadily deteriorating and he feared that he couldn't be an effective member of the crew much longer. Furthermore, he desperately wished to salvage the relationship with his son, Kolyat, who sill resided on the station.

Shepard was pained to see his new friend leave, but he respected him tremendously and wouldn't stand in the way of a dying man hoping to spend his final years with family.

The drell's decision to part ways with the crew could have been predicted, but Jacob's decision to leave caught even Miranda a little off guard.

She spoke with him briefly just before they both left on their separate ways and he had assured her that he wasn't leaving on account of the relationship Miranda enjoyed with Shepard. Though, he refused to give any specifics about where he'd be off to next, he explained that he needed to carve out a path of his own. She could respect that and wished him the best.

So with an ever dwindling crew, the Normandy had departed the massive space station as Miranda set off on her own journey.

She felt terrible for Shepard, knowing the toll it took on him each time a member of the crew said goodbye. Added to that, their conference with Anderson provided little comfort to the Commander. She briefly considered postponing her visit with Oriana, but quickly abandoned the idea. Miranda needed to ensure that her sister was safe and that the protection in place for her was up to snuff. Besides, Shepard was a strong and resilient man, and since Garrus and Tali didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, she resolved to go ahead with her plans.

And now, as she approached the very world where so much had changed for her, Miranda was filled with a renewed sense of self-confidence and drive. Yes, they had learned the terrifying truth that a Reaper vanguard could arrive in the galaxy within a matter of months, but she was determined to meet the threat head-on, alongside the most capable man she had ever known. The man she no longer hesitated to admit to herself that she was madly, deeply, intensely in love with. She smiled to herself at the thought, once again self-assured and unapologetic about the passion she felt for the man.

In fact, Miranda now felt a little foolish for how she had distanced herself from Shepard in the days leading up to their arrival on the Citadel and for allowing Jack to get under her skin. But that was in the past now and she was resolved to move forward.

And the time spent with her sister had done wonders for her soul.

The two spent much of their time together at a serene lakefront park, just outside the settlement where Oriana's parents had been provided lucrative positions in teaching and agriculture, respectively. Kasumi would join the sisters occasionally, but often enjoyed exploring the colony and doing what she called "window shopping."

Oriana, who had only just turned nineteen, was incredibly insightful and possessed a disarming charm that effortlessly cracked Miranda's considerable outer walls. As they spent the days together, Miranda was shocked to see how easily she allowed herself to open up to her younger sibling. There was only one other person in the operative's life that could claim the same talent, and he was half a galaxy away.

Miranda told her sister nearly everything about the life she'd lived to that point. She leveled with her younger sibling about their father's obsession with a perfect heir and the continuity of his legacy. She told her of the harrowing escape she'd made when Oriana was only an infant. And she even came clean about her long association with Cerberus. Miranda knew that there were a hundred ways she could be exposed as a rogue agent, so she decided it was best for her sister to hear the truth from her own lips.

Oriana didn't flinch at any of it. That girl really was amazingly unflappable. Miranda had feared her sister wouldn't understand the reasons she had been taken from their father so early in life. But after absorbing all the details, Oriana simply smiled, grasped her elder sister's hand warmly, and said, "_Thank you_."

After the harsh judgment she had received from Niket over the choice to steal her infant sister away, those two little words were music to Miranda's ears. The elder Lawson sister finally could allow all the angst and self-doubt she'd been carrying around over that decision to dissolve away.

When the subject turned toward Shepard, Miranda hesitated to tell the whole story. But inevitably that barrier crumbled too. Oriana was astounded at the science involved in reviving the Commander, but what the girl really wanted details on was who the man was to her older sister. She lit up in eager anticipation when Miranda finally got to what Oriana called the "juicy bits" of the story. So, reluctantly at first, Miranda told the complete tale of how she'd become close with the Commander and where their relationship was heading.

"Randa, you absolutely light up when you're talking about him! You're _in love_ with him—admit it!" Oriana had declared.

Miranda resisted her younger sister's expectant look for a moment, but finally buckled under the girl's youthful enthusiasm—it was infectious. "Yes, I suppose I am," she had said with a steadily growing smile.

_Colony development, huh?_ Miranda had thought as she sat there with her sister, remembering the field that Oriana had once said she'd like to pursue. _That girl could easily become a skilled counselor_—_or interrogator. _

When the week was up and after Miranda had confirmed for the seventh time that Oriana's protection detail was sufficient and intact, the two sisters reluctantly parted. Miranda, for the first time in her life, had begun to understand what it was to have an actual family. The sensation of something so real—_so normal_—frightened her a little. But nevertheless, the dark haired beauty craved the sensation and wanted more.

Miranda longed to remain on Eden Prime with Oriana and try to forget the horrible truth of the Reapers. But ultimately, she felt compelled to get back to work and rejoin the Normandy. And as blissful her time with Oriana had been she felt the undeniable pang of longing when her thoughts turned to Shepard. Having a genuine relationship with her sister was amazing, but her family wasn't complete without him.

And now, as the transport breached Illium's atmosphere and began its rapid descent into Nos Astra, Miranda felt butterflies stir in her stomach in anticipation of her reunion with the Commander.

"Three minutes to Nos Astra arrival," the shuttle's VI announced over the passenger cabin speakers. Miranda looked to her left and smiled as Kasumi stretched out her arms and yawned, finally awakening from her slumber. The operative quickly ensured the modest baggage she'd brought on the trip was in order, including the M-12 Locust submachine gun concealed in her handbag, and prepared to disembark.

A few minutes later, the two women were striding through the busy spaceport, heading for the Normandy's docking birth. Nearing the frigate's location, Miranda parted ways with Kasumi, briefly embracing her friend warmly before the master thief continued on to the ship alone.

"I'll see you in a few hours then," Kasumi called to Miranda. "Have fun!"

Miranda waved and then turned to continue off toward the heart of the Nos Astra's Commercial District. She had different plans for this evening and they didn't involve returning to her duties on the Normandy just yet.

Miranda smartly navigated the hectic market quarter, moving through the crowds with purpose, until she found her destination. The women's clothing boutique, _Mystique_, was tucked away in a popular corner of the mezzanine level. Peering within, several asari and human women could be seen mulling around racks of stylish dresses, trendy suits, and sexy, but classy, lingerie.

Miranda entered the shop and approached an elegantly dressed asari sales clerk and asked to retrieve the order she'd placed via the extranet site. Before leaving Eden Prime, Oriana had insisted on helping to plan a special night out for Miranda and Shepard, including helping to pick out some new outfits and other necessities.

Thirty minutes later, after trying on her purchases and ensuring everything fit to her satisfaction, Miranda walked out of the boutique with several bags over her shoulder, and the Locust SMG still concealed within the handbag she kept close on her left hip. It was just after 1400 hours local time and she still had several more stops to make.

Next, Miranda found her way to the day spa & salon that Oriana had recommended and where over the next two hours she allowed herself to be pampered and spoiled. It was a little alien at first for her to indulge so extravagantly, but she eventually relaxed and gave into it. If she wanted to turn the corner in her life and embrace the person she hoped to become, especially when the future was so uncertain, it was time to let go and live a little.

When she finally emerged from the salon, Miranda looked even more radiant than usual. Checking the time, she hurried next to the resort hotel she'd booked before leaving Eden Prime. Checking in under an alias, Miranda quickly made her way up to the eighty-seventh floor, entered her room and surveyed the surroundings with satisfaction.

It was a spacious and luxurious suite, tastefully decorated—unlike the racy Azure—and offered a sweeping view of the Nos Astra skyline through the room's panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Miranda noted with approval that the champagne she'd ordered was already present, chilling in a bucket atop the wet bar.

She set down her bags and checked the time. Any minute now, she thought. And then on cue, the door opened behind her and Kasumi walked in, a small package in one hand.

"Of course you wouldn't knock," Miranda said, grinning.

Kasumi shrugged and said, "It doesn't suit me. Anyway, the locks on these doors are child's play. _Here's the precious cargo_." The thief handed the item over to Miranda with a wicked smile and a wink.

"Thank you! You're a lifesaver." Miranda said.

"Of course! Shepard's a lucky guy," Kasumi said playfully. "And everything seems to be going well on the Normandy, by the way."

"Good. Thank you again, Kasumi."

Kasumi then went on her way, bound for a little evening reconnaissance of the Nos Astra attractions.

Miranda opened the bag that Kasumi had delivered and inspected the contents approvingly. She then activated the sub-dermal switch on her left arm to activate her Omni-tool. "EDI, can you give me a status on the Commander's location?"

"Commander Shepard is currently in his quarters preparing to leave the ship and proceed to your location, Miss Lawson. He has advised that Mr. Vakarian will be the officer on watch for this evening."

"Good. Did he receive the package I sent to the Normandy?" Miranda asked.

"Yes, Miss Lawson. He is in possession of the item you forwarded and appears to be bringing it along."

"Excellent. Thank you, EDI."

"My pleasure. Enjoy your evening, Miss Lawson. Logging you out."

Miranda then proceeded to unpack and finish sorting out the room. She was pleased that everything was running on schedule and beginning to feel her excitement grow, anticipating Shepard's arrival.

An hour later, the door to their suite clicked as the lock disengaged and Shepard walked in with a garment bag over his shoulder.

He stopped just inside as the door closed behind him and stared at the stunningly beautiful woman standing before him in the center of the room.

Miranda, wearing one of the hotel's luxurious white satin robes, flashed a brilliant smile at him.

"Hey," Shepard managed to stammer, momentarily speechless as he took in Miranda's appearance. It was amazing how gorgeous she looked in even something as simple as a bath robe, he thought. But it was the glow of happiness that she seemed to exude that left him momentarily speechless.

"_Hey, yourself_," Miranda said seductively, "I see you got the message—and the package I sent," she looked to the garment bag Shepard was holding.

"I did. So… We're going out tonight?" Shepard asked with a hesitant grin.

"Yes. But not for a little while," she said and then cocked her head to the side and flashed him a suggestive look. "First, we enjoy this beautiful room for a while."

Miranda then untied the belt loops fastened around her waist and gracefully slipped the robe off her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Shepard's jaw dropped as Miranda stood before him, the robe laying around her ankles and wearing the same black, lacy babydoll he had teased her with that night in his quarters almost two weeks ago.

Miranda looked at Shepard, beaming as he admired her, and said, "Commander, your XO needs you."

* * *

A few hours later, long after the champagne bottle had been emptied, Miranda sat at the end of the plush, oversized bed in the suite's bedroom. Having slipped into the dress she'd picked up at the boutique earlier in the day, she pulled on the fine leather 6" heel platform shoes Oriana had insisted she purchase to complete the outfit.

Standing, she walked across the room and studied her image in the full-length mirror, ensuring that everything fit just right.

As with nearly everything Miranda wore, the crimson red sleeveless dress was form fitting, but elegant. The silky, floor-length garment featured a long slit that ran up the front of her right leg, nearly to the waist, and a deep, V-neck top that tied behind her neck and accentuated her full breasts, exposing a tantalizing amount of cleavage_._

_Perhaps this was a little too much for tonight, _she briefly thought to herself. But then quickly dismissed the notion. Miranda didn't do_ understated._

Satisfied, Miranda fastened the sparking silver and gemstone choker necklace around her neck to complete the outfit.

Shepard emerged from the bathroom a moment later wearing the fashionable black suit Miranda had selected for him and sent over to the Normandy for tonight. She turned from the mirror and looked at him approvingly, pleased with her choice and the fit.

He stopped inside the doorway and smiled at the stunning woman standing near their thoroughly disheveled bed and whistled softly. "Miri, you look gorgeous."

Pleased with his reaction, she smiled back at him, finding that she liked that he'd begun using the affectionate nickname for her. "_Thank you_. You're looking very dashing yourself, Commander," she said with a barely suppressed giggle.

Still taking in how beautiful Miranda looked in her sultry red dress, Shepard finally said, "So… An asari ballet?"

Miranda shot him a mock glare and said, "_Yes_, an asari ballet. It's supposed to be _amazing_. And the symphonic accompaniment has won dozens of awards."

"But Swan Lake? _Really_?"

"They put their own spin on it. But what can I say? Apparently the asari _love_ Tchaikovsky," Miranda shrugged. "And I think you can indulge me a little after the welcome gifts I provided," Miranda said provocatively.

"You have me there, Miss Lawson," Shepard said.

"And if you're on your best behavior, you may be fortunate enough to see me model a few of my other purchases," Miranda teased.

"In that case, bring on the ballet!"

"You are shameless, Commander!" she said with a grin, shaking her head. "Do you think the Normandy will survive a night without its captain?"

Shepard laughed. "I think they'll manage. But Garrus did want to send along a chaperone when I told him you and I were going out on the town tonight."

Miranda raised an eyebrow and asked, "And you said?"

"I told him no chance. It's just me and my girl tonight," Shepard said.

"Good answer, Commander."

"Besides, I have my personal biotic bodyguard with me _and_ I brought along a little accessory of my own to go with the outfit you sent." Shepard pulled one side of his jacket away to reveal the Predator semi-automatic pistol hanging from a shoulder holster.

Miranda looked impressed and said, "And then there's this." She pulled up her gown high above one knee, revealing the top of her stocking and garter strap—and the ultra-compact Phalanx pistol strapped to the inside of her left thigh. "I also come prepared," she said with a wink.

Shepard smiled and let out a long, slow breath. "You have no idea how much you just turned me on. _Very naughty_, Miss Lawson."

"Save it," Miranda said playfully. "We still need to make our dinner reservations."

* * *

A couple hours later, the couple emerged from the upscale seafood restaurant where they'd just dined and began to make their way to the performance.

Throughout dinner, Shepard spent most of the time admiring his ravishing date rather than appreciate the fine cuisine. He was thrilled to be spending time with her like this. At least for this night, he could allow all the frustrations of the last couple weeks to melt away. He put an arm around Miranda's slim waist and pulled her in close to his side. She reciprocated the gesture and smiled up at him as they continued on their way.

They would be traveling the short distance to the performing arts hall via a subterranean high-speed rail line that let out right at the Nos Astra theater district.

The station wasn't difficult to find. Restaurants and bars all around were emptying out and crowds of people were beginning to flood the pathways leading to the transit hub, many obviously heading toward the same destination as the couple.

Miranda squeezed Shepard's hand, encouraging him to move a little faster. "We better pick up the pace, Commander. I know you would hate to be late to the show," she said with a flirtatious wink.

Shepard laughed and smiled down at her. "Of course, anything for my lovely XO."

Miranda appreciated the good sport he was being, knowing full well that an asari ballet wasn't exactly the kind of entertainment the Commander typically went in for. But she felt confident that she had sufficiently incentivized him earlier in the evening, so he was happy to indulge her. In fact, since her return from Eden Prime, it seemed he'd be agreeable to just about anything she suggested. She smiled to herself at the thought, not ashamed at the pleasure she took in having him wrapped around her finger.

Turning the corner, the wide entrance to the train station came into view, just about twenty meters ahead. About a dozen people were entering the large, sweeping archway that hung over the entrance and began descending the flight of stairs leading to the lower level train depot. As they approached the mouth of the tunnel leading down, Miranda once again took hold of Shepard's right arm, nestling herself closer to him.

But just as they neared the stairs down, the former Cerberus operative's well-trained eye caught site of a sudden movement above and to the right. Glancing up, she immediately picked out a lone figure upon the walkway one level above them.

Leaning over the railing, a tall, dark-skinned human female clad in a long gray overcoat was peering down at her and Shepard, scrutinizing the couple. As Miranda met the woman's eyes, the observer quickly averted her gaze, turned and marched off in the opposite direction.

Miranda was accustomed to being ogled by both men _and_ women. And Shepard could easily be recognized from all the vids that had portrayed his actions over the years. But generally, Illium's cosmopolitan population tended toward discretion where celebrities were concerned. In fact, the famous of the galaxy would often flock to the asari world largely because their privacy was respected and few would bother them in public. But the way this woman seemed to be intently watching both her and Shepard had tickled Miranda's instincts and set off alarm bells in her head.

Miranda turned back toward Shepard, just as they were about to reach the first step of the stairwell leading to the station. "Shepard…"

But before Miranda could finish her sentence, a lot of things happened very rapidly.

First, Shepard pulled down hard on Miranda's left arm, hauling her low to the ground just as the unmistakable report of a high-caliber rifle shot echoed from within the tunnel ahead of them.

Glancing quickly over to Miranda, Shepard confirmed she was unhurt and then released her arm. Plunging his hand under the left side of his coat, he pulled the Predator from its holster and trained the weapon down toward the bottom of the tunnel where the shot had originated.

Shepard's attention focused ahead of them, Miranda remained close to the ground and whipped her head around, trying to reacquire the female spotter that had been standing on the high walkway a moment before. But the woman had vanished.

The crowd around Shepard and Miranda was temporarily frozen, startled by the loud noise of the single sniper shot. And then suddenly, emerging from behind the mass of people to the right, two burly looking human men marched forward methodically with heavy assault rifles pressed up against their shoulders and aimed toward the couple.

"John!" Miranda shouted and immediately summoned a powerful biotic barrier just as the two men opened fire.

Shepard turned toward Miranda's warning just as her biotic shelter engulfed them. Incendiary rounds peppered the barrier, reflecting off the translucent blue bubble and ricocheting into the walls of nearby shops, exploding in a shower of sparks and white-hot fire.

The sudden attack from their flank didn't seem to faze Shepard. With measured precision, the Commander raised his pistol, took careful aim at the closest attacker, and fired two controlled bursts of three rounds each, striking the gunman in the chest and head.

Miranda watched, fighting to maintain the barrier a little longer, as Shepard's salvo brought down the shields of the man on the left and then penetrated his unprotected head. The attacker's life was instantly snuffed out as a red puff of blood and smoke erupted from the back of his skull.

Shocked into action by the violent sound of automatic rifle fire and the cacophony of rounds bouncing off Miranda's barrier, a ripple of panic erupted through the crowd and the area echoed with shouts of terror and confusion as people began to scatter, running in all directions.

As his partner collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap, the second gunman quickly executed a combat roll to the left and ducked behind several asari bystanders that were cowering in terror, forcing the Commander to hold fire.

Still crouched with one hand planted on the floor and a leg outstretched in front of her, Miranda looked like a predatory cat ready to pounce. The glamorous dress she wore offered no ballistic protection whatsoever, but it also didn't restrict her movement.

"I've got him!" she shouted, allowing the barrier to drop while she retrieved the pistol from its holster under her dress.

"Copy!" Shepard acknowledged and swung his weapon back down toward the tunnel, where the original attack had come from, confident Miranda would cover his six while he scanned the area below for the sniper.

Quickly jumping back to her feet, Miranda pointed her weapon downrange and tracked the assassin as he began to duck in and out from behind the panicked bystanders.

Suddenly, Miranda caught a flash of movement out the corner of her eye. She glanced quickly to the left, keeping her pistol trained in the direction of the assault rifle wielding gunman, and saw the woman she'd spotted a few moments earlier bolt forward through the crowd with a menacing shotgun aimed directly at the Commander.

Instinctively, Miranda shot out her left arm and yanked the shotgun out of the female assassin's hands with a powerfully accurate biotic pull. The weapon was sent skipping across the floor with a harsh metallic clanging.

Reacting to the firearm being hurled across the space, Shepard recognized that Miranda had engaged a new threat and was now vulnerable to the guy with the assault rifle. In a single, controlled movement, he reached back with his left hand and grabbed Miranda's right hip, pushing her to the side and out of the line of fire from the tunnel below, and whirled around a hundred and eighty degrees.

Instantly acquiring his target, Shepard fired three more quick shots, threading an impossible needle around several terrified bystanders, and struck the man in the head, knocking him off his feet.

Meanwhile, Shepard's push and spin of her backside allowed Miranda to face off with the formerly shotgun-toting woman. The female attacker had recovered quickly from the loss of her heavy weapon, shrugged off her overcoat and was in the process of pulling a backup from a hip-mounted holster.

But Miranda didn't give her adversary a chance to raise the weapon. The XO emptied the full eight round magazine of her pistol into the woman's chest, sending the assailant twisting and hurtling backwards, arms flailing like a ragdoll as the rounds impacted her unarmored body.

"Clear behind, John!" Miranda shouted.

Shepard nodded back to Miranda in acknowledgment and advanced toward where the man he'd just fired upon had fallen. The crowd parted and fled in all directions as the Commander methodically moved forward, his pistol still aimed at the spot where the attacker had been a second before.

He found the man splayed on the ground, a ragged one-inch diameter entry wound in his forehead. A permanent expression of shock was emblazoned on the dead man's face.

"Got him!" Shepard called out as he raised his weapon again and rapidly scanned the area for any other threats.

Satisfied there wasn't anyone else lurking in the shadows, Shepard quickly strode back to Miranda and placed a hand on the side of her waist. "Are you okay?" He asked with a concerned expression.

Miranda, breathing hard from the sudden attack, nodded reassuringly. "Yes, I'm fine. Should we go downstairs and find that sniper?"

"No. If they're still setup, we're easy targets moving down those stairs," Shepard said, shaking his head. "Besides, the shooter probably bolted after these guys went down. Let's let the locals handle it. I'm sure they'll be here any second."

"Okay," Miranda said and then gave a deep sigh. She looked at Shepard, a disappointed pout on her face. "I suppose we're not going to make the show now, are we?"

Shepard gave a sympathetic smile and pulled her in close to his body, wrapping his arms around her and then said under his breath, "Damn."

* * *

**Author's note:**

Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out, folks. The holidays kicked my ass and I've been a little under the weather. Plus, this was a bit longer of a chapter than what I've put out so far. But I really wanted to bookend it with the Anderson revelations about the state of the Alliance and the attack on Shepard and Miranda. We'll get an idea of who those guys are next chapter, but for now I wanted to just wrap it up and publish.

I'm playing around with the timeline just a tad to avoid the whole "Reapers will arrive in two days!" nonsense. I have to have a little more time to play with in order to let the next few scenes play out without having it seem like Shepard's ignoring an imminent threat. The end result will still essentially be the same; I'm just dragging it out a bit.

I'll be back with more soon!


	8. Chapter 8

Miranda stood beneath the outcropping of the second level walkway as a steady rain began to fall over Nos Astra. Wearing Shepard's suit jacket over her dress, the gloomy weather matched the operative's mood. After the adrenaline of combat waned and the disappointment over their ruined evening had been accepted, Miranda felt deeply troubled by the bold attack she and the Commander had survived a little over an hour earlier.

The body of the female attacker Miranda had killed was a few meters away, still splayed out on the ground of the transportation plaza. She stared vacantly at a pool of the woman's blood as it mixed with the rainwater streaming across the pavement. The asari police officers that swarmed the site had erected portable canopies over the bodies, shielding them from the showers while the crime scene investigators worked. The entire area had been cordoned off shortly after the first Nos Astra police responders arrived, setting up electronic barriers to prevent civilians from disturbing the scene. The area was now crawling with no less than two dozen uniformed asari police officers, investigators, and techs.

A short distance off, Mordin was discretely running his own scans as two asari CSI techs examined the body of the first gunman Shepard had dropped.

Once Shepard and Miranda had cleared the plaza after the ambush, the Commander had called in the cavalry. Less than ten minutes later, Garrus, Tali, Grunt, Mordin and Kasumi descended from the sky, disregarding the restricted airspace above the transit plaza, and emerged from the Normandy's shuttle in full combat kits.

Shepard had immediately sent Garrus and Grunt into the tunnels below, where the initial shot had originated, to ferret out any threats while he remained up top to deal with the asari authorities. Tali was busy canvasing the upper walkways and Kasumi had returned to Shepard and Miranda's hotel, looking for any leads or signs of lingering surveillance.

After the skies had darkened, Shepard had placed his jacket around Miranda's shoulders and the two took shelter under the ledge of the pedway above. He was now standing a little off to the side, speaking with Chief Detective Anaya. He'd since rolled up his shirtsleeves and the Predator pistol still hung from the now exposed shoulder rig holster.

They'd met Anaya several months before, during their effort to recruit Samara for the Collector mission. She'd been promoted since they last saw her and now directed a significant major crimes task force within the Nos Astra PD. In fact, it was largely thanks to Shepard and the squad's aid in combating Eclipse mercenary activity in the Nos Astra spaceport that led to the asari's elevation. She was indebted to the Commander and had been quick to take control of the scene, shielding Shepard and Miranda from enduring any excessive hassle.

Miranda stared over at Shepard with a distant look in her eyes, brooding over the ambush. She was well aware of the enemies they had made over the last several months, and fully expected Cerberus to move on her at some point, but this didn't _feel_ like the work of her former employer. The attack was too audacious, too _dirty_. Cerberus would have been more subtle, especially on a high profile world like Illium.

And it made no sense to strike at Shepard when the Illusive Man was busy aligning Cerberus with the Commander's successes. Trying to eliminate the rogue agent Miranda Lawson was one thing, but assassinating Shepard in the process just didn't track. _No_, she thought, _this was something different, another adversary lurking behind the scenes_. Replaying every detail of the attack in her mind, she kept returning to the warnings Councilor Anderson conveyed little more than a week previous.

But beyond the mystery over this new enemy's identity, Miranda was simply angry. _The bastards ruined her night_.

Miranda certainly hadn't deluded herself into thinking that she and Shepard could simply go about without taking precautions. But they had been keeping a low profile on Illium and were merely taking a day for themselves, like a normal couple might. Of course they would always need to be careful, always vigilant when off-ship, but this was ridiculous.

Perhaps it was naïve of her to think they could do something as ordinary as go out on a date in times like these. _Maybe I dropped my guard after the week on Eden Prime_, she thought, doubting herself. But she quickly rejected the notion. _No, damn it. She had taken precautions and been careful._ _This was bullshit_.

But still, surveying the carnage of the transit plaza, Miranda was reminded of just how difficult it would be for her and Shepard to achieve any semblance of a normal lifestyle. The attack tonight only crystalized that point further. Between the Commander's notoriety and her infamy, the couple faced a daunting and uncertain future.

And the bitter truth was, before being thrown together for the campaign against the Collectors, Miranda and Shepard lived in polar opposite realities. The common ground they occupied now suddenly felt precarious and transitory. The Alliance would eventually accept Shepard back into the fold, she felt certain of that. And he'd likely return to the Council's good graces before too long, as well. But Miranda's future circumstances seemed far more nebulous. Could she move beyond the sins of her past? Would she ever truly be accepted by Shepard's old allies?

As the downpour intensified, Miranda considered the implications her presence would have on the lives of those she's grown so attached to. What further dangers would she invite into Oriana and Shepard's lives? Incorporating any semblance of normalcy into her life suddenly felt like a childish fantasy. A dark thought then crept back into her mind. _Hell_, _I'm not even really a whole woman._

Miranda was roused from her darkening thoughts as Shepard strode back over to her.

"Anaya's crew hasn't been able to ID the bodies yet," he said. "There's no record of them coming in through screening at the spaceport and nothing in the inter-agency databases matching their DNA or biometrics. They're fully deniable."

Miranda listened in silence, vaguely nodding her head.

Shepard sensed she was miles away. "Hey, you alright?" he asked in a gentle voice.

Miranda snapped out of her trance. "_No, John, I'm not bloody alright_," she said. "This is bullshit! We can't even step out for a simple evening together without getting jumped by whoever the hell these bastards were." Then she sighed, immediately regretting jumping down Shepard's throat. "I'm sorry," she said and reached out and pulled herself in close to his chest. "I'm just frustrated. I wanted to be able to get away from all this, even if just for a night."

"I know. I understand," he said, rubbing a comforting hand up and down her back. "I'm pissed too. But we'll figure it out."

Garrus and Grunt emerged from the tunnel below a few seconds later. The turian and krogan were in full battle armor and both wielded heavy Mattock assault rifles.

"Anything?" Shepard asked as he and Miranda abandoned their embrace.

Garrus shook his head. "Nothing. I can see where the guy likely setup, but he didn't leave anything behind we could track. There's several ways out of that station from the lower level, but we didn't find a trail."

Grunt seemed annoyed at not finding someone to shoot. "Not even the stench of the dirty coward," he snarled. "I'd say he ran as soon as his first shot missed its mark."

Shepard nodded, expecting as much. "The locals don't have anything either—no ID, nothing. It's like they just materialized out of nowhere."

Miranda remained close by Shepard, visibly growing more impatient. "Commander, we're clearly not going to find answers here tonight. Perhaps we should return to the Normandy and continue the investigation from there?"

Shepard recognized the polite recommendation from his XO for what it was: His girlfriend was in a bad mood and ready to go home. "Agreed. Let's wrap it up and get everyone back to the ship," he announced. "Garrus, head back in the shuttle with Tali, Mordin and Miranda. Grunt, you're with me. We'll head back to the hotel and meet up with Kasumi."

Miranda shot Shepard an inquisitive look.

Shepard touched her arm reassuringly. "I'm just going to pop back to the room and grab our stuff."

"Alright… But be quick," she said and then leaned in to whisper in his ear. "And don't you dare peek in any of my shopping bags."

Shepard chuckled at Miranda's threat. "Understood, XO."

* * *

A few minutes later, the XO's group boarded the Kodiak shuttle and took off for the Normandy. Garrus and Mordin took up station in the cockpit while Miranda and Tali found spots in the squad compartment.

As the ship took off for the short flight back home, Tali claimed one of the jump seats directly across from Miranda. It was rare for the young quarian to be found alone with the Normandy's XO and for the first several minutes of the journey only the steady hum of the craft's engines penetrated the awkward silence the two maintained.

Before long, Tali was squirming in her seat, looking as if she either wanted to say something to Miranda or simply make an excuse to get up and flee to the shuttle's forward compartment. Miranda eyed her warily, hoping that she would remain silent for the duration of their short trip.

But Tali was talkative by nature and felt the urge to break the uncomfortable silence. "So… Nice dress, Miranda."

Miranda stared back at the quarian, allowing a faint but polite smile to soften her otherwise sour expression. "Thank you," she said, unconsciously pulling Shepard's coat around herself a little tighter and praying that Tali would drop the small talk.

But Tali was undeterred. "It sounds like you had a really nice night planned with Shepard. I'm sorry those bosh'tets ruined it for you."

Miranda highly doubted Tali was sorry to see her plans with Shepard upset, but refrained from pushing the issue and remained quiet.

Over the course of the Collector campaign, Miranda and Tali formed a grudging professional respect for one another, but there was no semblance of a cordial personal relationship between the two. Just as it was with Shepard's other long-time friends, Garrus and Joker, the former Cerberus operative's presence on board and nominal authority as XO was tolerated, but never embraced.

_It was understandable_, Miranda supposed. During their time aboard the Normandy SR1, Garrus and Tali had been alongside the Commander when several Cerberus cells engaged in questionable projects were eradicated. The prejudice they held for Miranda's former employer ran deep and it would always be an uphill battle to gain a level of trust beyond what the Commander demanded be afforded his XO.

But at least Garrus seemed to have warmed slightly to Miranda over the recent months, no doubt thanks primarily to her relationship with Shepard. But the same could not be said for Tali. They worked perfectly well together during missions, but an immense gulf remained between the two women. And now, sitting in that uncomfortable shuttle jump seat, Miranda had an inkling she was about to find out a bit more why that was.

"So you were going to that big show over in the theatre district, huh?" Tali said.

Miranda sighed and began to feel a sense of foreboding over where this seemingly trivial conversation might be heading. "That's right," she said and casually looked off to the side, studying the shuttle's bulkhead with a distant look in her eyes, yearning to drift off.

"You know, I think Liara dragged Shepard to an asari performance like that one time back on the Citadel," Tali said. "Poor guy."

_And there it is_, Miranda thought, and narrowed her gaze as she looked back to face Tali. "_Really_."

"Yeah… we all had a couple weeks downtime right after the big fight with Sovereign and before Shepard was ordered out again to hunt more geth. Me, Garrus, Liara, Ashley, Joker… even Wrex. We all mostly stuck around the Citadel."

Miranda willed her expression to go blank, knowing the quarian wouldn't need any encouragement to continue spilling what was on her mind.

"I think Shepard and Liara really helped each other get passed some things," Tali said. "She was still pretty broken up about her mother and I know he was feeling a little betrayed when the Alliance and Council didn't take the Reapers seriously."

_She's just trying to push my buttons_, Miranda thought. _But it's working_. There was clearly a reason Tali was needling her about Shepard's past relationship with Liara. _What are you playing at?_

Tali continued reminiscing with the subtlety of an Elcor. "I remember thinking how lucky Shepard was. He had both Liara _and_ Ashley all over him. I mean, I love them both, so I'm not taking sides or anything. But I think if Ashley hadn't been a member of the Normandy's crew there might have been something more between those two… But who knows? Maybe it was because Liara was just sooo… _exotic_."

Miranda's expression was morphing into an intensifying glare.

Tali shrugged. "I guess things change though," she said.

Miranda finally spoke up again through her clenched teeth. "_Why don't you just say what's really on your mind_?"

Tali shifted in the shuttle's jump seat and placed her hands in her lap. "Okay, I will." The quarian's voice had abruptly lost its feigned pleasantry. "Liara's my friend. So is Ashley. You're _not_ my friend, Miranda."

"Your friendship is irrelevant to me, Tali," Miranda said.

Tali continued on as if Miranda hadn't spoken. "Oh, I think you're super intelligent and a talented operative and all…. Plus you're obviously really_, really_ attractive for a human woman." Tali leaned in toward Miranda a little and lowered her voice. "But by the way, you don't have to wear those skin-tight outfits _all_ the time to remind everyone how hot you are."

Miranda felt her face redden.

Tali shrugged her shoulders again. "But you're _still_ Cerberus."

Miranda was fighting to keep her temper in check, reminding herself that Tali was something of a little sister to Shepard. And there was a clear agenda at work here; she had no trouble recognizing that. _Don't take the bait_, she told herself. "I've left Cerberus. _You know that_."

"Sure," Tali shrugged. "I believe you don't report to the Illusive Man anymore, but you'll always be Cerberus, Miranda. It's wrapped all around you, even when you're wearing that pretty dress. You can take off all those Cerberus emblems from your uniforms too, but it's still a part of who you are."

Miranda suddenly felt weary. She was already in a foul mood after the attack and now enduring this contrived rant was testing her patience. _"You're point?"_

"You're toxic, Miranda," Tali said. "You've got so much baggage that Shepard's overwhelmed trying to deal with it all. He shouldn't have to work that hard—not when it seems like the fate of the whole galaxy's on his shoulders. Liara and Ashley both love him. And they both make things _a lot_ less complicated for him."

Miranda felt wounded and was struggling to keep her lower lip from quivering. "Williams turned her back on Shepard on Horizon. I saw how much that hurt him. _You know that_. And Liara and his relationship ended. They're better off as friends." But as the words escaped her mouth she already doubted them.

Tali let out a harsh little laugh. "Sure, I heard all about Horizon from Garrus. _But I know Ashley_. I'm sure she was just shocked to see Shepard alive and working with Cerberus. She'll patch things up with him."

The tenor of Tali's voice became decidedly more aggressive. "And how do _you_ know Liara and Shepard are better off as friends? You didn't see them together before. Or were you and your Cerberus friends already spying on him back then?"

Miranda had had just about enough of Tali's hostility and rose abruptly. "You're going too far, quarian!"

Tali shifted a little in her seat and crossed her legs. "_See_, now I'm just that quarian suit-rat," she said and crossed her arms in front of her, looking pleased she'd succeeded in provoking Miranda. "You're still the Cerberus cheerleader Jack pegged you as. You can't shake the past overnight, Miranda."

Miranda kicked herself for losing control of her emotions but was done absorbing Tali's venom. "I've had more dealings with T'Soni than you know. And _I'm sorry_, but don't make me laugh! Williams is a _child_. _Much like you_."

Tali ignored the insult, feeling she still held the high ground. "How can Shepard ever have a real life with you? Liara would do _anything_ for him. And Ashley makes so much sense it's just stupid."

Miranda was seething now. "_I brought him back to life, you bitch_," she spat.

Tali stayed seated and Miranda didn't need to see the quarian's face behind that mask to know her expression was smug and satisfied. "Yes, you did," Tali said. "But don't you think it's time you let him get back to that life? How's he going to do that with you dragging him down, keeping that Cerberus brand on him?"

"You think that by being with me he's seen as just another Cerberus agent?" Miranda was incredulous. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Tali asked. "Miranda, when people see you, they see Cerberus. When they see you with Shepard… Well, what do you think?"

Miranda was now visibly shaking and fighting the urge to toss the woman into the bulkhead with a biotic slam. Tali's harsh assessment stung—all the more because there was a shred of truth in the words. When she spoke again, her voice sounded feeble. "How can you say all this?"

"You know it's true, Miranda. You can't give him everything he needs. And everyone will be better off once you admit it to yourself," Tali said.

A tense silence settled in the shuttle as Miranda stood staring down at Tali. The expert poise the operative typically possessed had failed her as she clearly misjudged the depth of Tali's contempt.

A moment later, the vibration of the shuttle touching down in the Normandy's cargo bay was felt and the crew doors slid open.

Miranda stood glaring down at Tali for an extra beat and then abruptly turned on her heel and marched out of the shuttle without another word.

Rapidly crossing the distance from the shuttle to the elevator, Miranda received more than a few befuddled sideways glances from the handful of crewmembers occupying the deck. They cautiously watched as their XO stormed by wearing Shepard's jacket over the long red dress, her high heeled platform shoes striking the metal floor with a precise, rhythmic bang until she disappeared into the elevator.

As the doors to lift slid shut, Miranda inhaled deeply and felt the tingling of biotic energy course through her fingertips. _Damn it, this is not going to be another 'Jack' moment_, she chided herself.

Emerging from the elevator on the crew deck, Miranda turned the corner to head toward her quarters. But as she passed by the common mess area, she glanced to her right and noticed Dr. Chakwas was working late in the medical bay.

Coming to a halt halfway to her office, Miranda received more puzzled looks from the crew members sitting at the tables, the unusual appearance of their XO causing them to look up from their meals and gawk for a moment. Ignoring the stares, Miranda turned to skirt around the tables and made directly for the medical bay.

Entering the medical lab, Miranda found Dr. Karin Chakwas sitting at her desk, busy reviewing files on the terminal. Hearing the lab door open, Chakwas swiveled her chair around to face her visitor.

The doctor greeted Miranda with a look mixed with concern and subtle amusement. "Hello Miss Lawson," Dr. Chakwas said and studied Miranda for a moment. "I was troubled to hear about the attack on you and the Commander. I was advised that you were both unharmed, but are you injured?"

"No, doctor, I'm fine," Miranda said. "I was just wondering if you had a moment to talk."

The doctor's expression remained curious but her friendly demeanor didn't falter. "Of course. What's on your mind, Miranda?"

Miranda hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling awkward and the urge to turn and leave. But Karin's manner always felt welcoming and safe, so the XO pulled out a nearby chair and joined the doctor sitting by the desk.

Facing the doctor, Miranda crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap. "You're familiar with the entire crews' medical records," she said.

"_Almost everyone's_," Dr. Chakwas nodded. "Your own personal medical histories are still sealed, Miss Lawson."

Miranda looked almost ashamed, glancing down at the floor. "Right," She said. "I'm going to grant you access to those files now. I apologize for my reluctance to share that information with you before. I know it's your responsibility to look after the entire crew, myself included."

Dr. Chakwas looked a little confused. "I understand, Miranda. You're not someone who's accustomed to putting your trust in others."

Miranda was slightly taken aback by the doctor's bluntness. "You're right, I'm not. But I've come to realize that I need to begin allowing myself to… open up more and be more approachable."

The doctor smiled warmly. "That Commander Shepard, he does have a way about him, doesn't he? He cuts through people's barriers like no one I've seen before."

Miranda blushed. "Yes, he's… a unique individual."

"There's no need to stand on ceremony, dear. I'm well aware of your relationship with the Commander. As is the rest of the crew." The doctor continued smiling kindly at Miranda, as if she was waiting patiently for the younger woman to catch up.

Miranda felt progressively more disarmed by the candor of the older woman. "Oh. Yes, I… suppose the ship is rather small," she said.

"There's no need to feel embarrassed, Miranda," the doctor said in a kind, almost motherly tone. "I know you've tried to be discrete about it, but there's really no need. The crew looks up tremendously to the Commander. And, though some may feel intimidated by you, they all respect you." Her expression grew even warmer. "And if you don't mind me saying so, I quite approve. It's not difficult to recognize how much more at ease Shepard's been lately. I think he's quite taken with you."

Miranda's mouth was agape, thrown again by the unexpected thoughtfulness of the doctor. "Thank you for saying that, Karin. It's not something that comes easy for me… these emotions. But I do care very much for him." She grinned, thinking of Shepard, but then the smile withered. "However, I'm not sure Tali shares your assessment."

Dr. Chakwas had a knowing look in her eyes. "Ah," she said. "Well, I would council being a little forgiving with our quarian friend. She wears her heart on her sleeve—more than most."

Miranda frowned, not feeling at all like giving Tali the benefit of the doubt at the moment. "Yes, I gathered as much. Still, it's nice to hear your kind words, doctor."

"Of course. But you wished to discuss something about your medical history?" Karin asked.

Miranda recomposed herself. "Yes. I was hoping to get your opinion on a… condition of mine."

Doctor Chakwas looked intrigued and waited for Miranda to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Miranda dove in. Over the next thirty minutes she reviewed with the doctor her private medical records, described her unique genetic makeup, discussed the benign neoplasm that rendered her unable to conceive, and argued the various treatments she had considered in the past.

Finally, after their exhaustive discussion, Miranda gave the doctor a look of surrender. "I know it's ridiculous to even consider this issue with all we've been through and a potential war on the horizon…"

The doctor dismissed Miranda with a wave of her hand. "Nonsense," she said. "You want feel whole and solve this problem. I completely understand your desire to find a solution, Miranda."

Miranda gave Karin a grateful smile and nodded slowly.

Dr. Chakwas gave the XO a sympathetic look. "But I would also counsel, that while I feel confident that we _can_ find a solution, it's not guaranteed. But there are always alternatives available should you wish to start a family."

"Yes, I understand, doctor. My expectations are realistic," Miranda said.

"Good. Then we'll get started working on this straightaway," Dr. Chakwas said.

"Thank you again, Karin."

"It's my pleasure, dear. And by the way, Miranda, it's really a very lovely dress."

Miranda looked at the doctor and smiled appreciatively, already feeling cleansed from her earlier confrontation with Tali, then stood and turned to leave. As she emerged from the medical bay, Miranda nearly ran straight into the Commander.

Shepard gave her a concerned look. "You said you weren't hurt," he said.

Caught off guard by Shepard's unexpected appearance, Miranda stammered. "I'm not, I… I was just following up with Dr. Chakwas on another matter, that's all."

He looked her up and down with a suspicious expression. "Uh huh."

Miranda recovered and placed a hand on his chest. "Really, John. I'm fine."

"All right, if you say so…" Shepard didn't seem convinced but knew when to drop it.

"I do. Now, did you turn up anything back at the hotel?"

Shepard shook his head. "No. Nothing there either. But I've just forwarded what little we have to Liara. She may have more luck."

Miranda bristled unconsciously. "Good. I'm sure she'll do what she can." She then looked down at the Commander's empty hands. "Did you retrieve our things?"

"Yep. Kasumi just dropped your stuff in your quarters." Shepard shot her a sly grin. "Don't worry, no peeking."

Miranda cocked her head and eyed him with a skeptical look. "_Ah ha_. Well, it's getting late…"

"Mm hmm." Shepard nodded and looked at her expectantly.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll be up in just a few minutes. I'm just going to grab some things from my quarters to keep in the loft," she said.

Shepard smiled affectionately. "Good," he said. "Hey, it's no luxury suite, but I've got beer."

Miranda rolled her eyes and shot him a sarcastic frown. "Don't push your luck, Commander."

* * *

Miranda collapsed onto Shepard's chest, breathing heavily as her body shuddered with pleasure. She closed her eyes and sighed luxuriously as he continued to kiss her neck and run a hand through her thick, tousled hair.

After the assault earlier in the evening, and Tali's own ambush a little while afterward, Miranda had been in serious need of stress relief. As soon as she arrived in the Captain's loft she had practically attacked Shepard, not willing to wait another minute for him to finally get her out of that dress.

They rested there in bed for a long while, locked in an embrace the neither seemed willing to end. Finally, Shepard spoke softly in Miranda's ear. "I'm sorry about tonight, Miri. It's my fault…" He paused. "I let my guard down and nearly got you killed."

She pulled her head up from his shoulder and stared back into his eyes, an incredulous look on her face. "_Are you kidding?_ John, that wasn't your fault. If anything, it was mine. I planned the evening. I drew us out into the open." She sighed. "I took Illium for granted and lost focus."

Shepard clutched her a little tighter, feeling the warmth of her bare skin pressed up against his own. "No, you didn't do anything wrong," he said and then gently touched her face. "Let's just agree to stop kick ourselves over it now, though. It's done and we're both alright."

Miranda smiled lovingly, gave him a quick peck on the lips, then slid off to the side and propped her head up on one elbow. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?" she said.

He rolled onto his side to face her with a crooked grin. "I certainly hope so."

Miranda punched him hard on the arm. "_Ass_. You know what I mean."

Shepard laughed but then turned more serious. "Listen, things probably won't be easy for us—not for a long while." He reached over and gently placed a hand on Miranda's face and gave her an earnest look. "But we're in this together. I want you next to me to face whatever's coming."

Miranda smiled back at her man. "_Much better_," she said, kissing him gently before rolling onto her back and staring up through the viewing window above. The clouds over Nos Astra had cleared and the nighttime sky was alive with glistening stars. "The storm's coming soon," she whispered. "Isn't it?"

Shepard joined Miranda on his back, looking up into the stars, and let out a long breath. "Yeah. It is."

* * *

"Delta Squad?" Shepard was incredulous.

"That's right, John," Liara confirmed again. The asari's holographic representation was standing before the Commander, Garrus and Miranda via the QEC in the Normandy's briefing room.

Liara had already turned up something from the information Shepard had forwarded her and quickly requested a conference.

Miranda furrowed her brow. "But basic Alliance service records would have been available for the local authorities on Illium. Why didn't Anaya make the connection?" she asked.

"Their records have been completely expunged from Systems Alliance databases, Miranda," Liara said. "And not just military service records, but _every_ Sol system database I have access to. And I assure you, that list is substantial. These two men and the woman were completely wiped from existence—_purposely_, leaving virtually no data trail whatsoever."

Shepard, Miranda, and Garrus all exchanged wary glances.

"Okay. How'd you figure they're Alliance?" Garrus asked.

"Glyph took the DNA readings you collected and found a match in an operational record filed by a Shadow Broker agent," Liara said. "One of the men you killed was Gunnery Sergeant Norris Durant. In late 2184 he was operating on the planet Tyr with the Alliance Spec Ops team and was injured during a clash with Blue Suns mercs. He was subsequently treated for wounds at a local colonial triage center. The agent observing the action was imbedded at that medical center and procured the data. He also uploaded surveillance footage from the area."

Liara rapidly tapped a few buttons on her Omni-tool and a second holo image appeared via the QEC interface. "Using facial recognition protocols, Glyph found clear enough images to identify Durant's companions," She said as vid footage of several soldiers appeared next to her. "The other male is PFC J. Halder and the female can be observed as Lance Corporal G. Claremont. Based on their uniform insignias, they appear to have both been a part of Durant's squad. However, official Alliance records on the engagement make no reference to these three soldiers."

Shepard's expression was foreboding. "Alliance Intelligence Black Ops," he said grimly.

"Yes. That's also my assumption," Liara said. "It's customary for the Systems Alliance Intelligence Service to purge all records of their field agents. In the past, there were still intact fragments of these individuals' previous lives that could be found. But over the last few years the SAIS has become extraordinarily efficient and aggressive with their redaction techniques."

"Looks like Anderson wasn't exaggerating when he said you've made a few more enemies, Shepard," Garrus said matter-of-factly. "Or, about how fractured the Alliance has become."

Shepard gave a resigned not and crossed his arms, still processing the new intel.

"Any indication who might have ordered the attack, Liara?" Miranda asked.

"No, I'm afraid not, Miranda," Liara said. "I can't determine if this was an officially sanctioned SAIS Op or some other rogue element at work. That agency is extraordinarily well shuttered and my access is very limited. But given the warnings that Anderson conveyed, I would venture to guess that this attack originated from one of the splinter groups within the Alliance Intelligence community." Liara gave Shepard a foreboding look. "John, I feel strongly that these soldiers were tasked to eliminate _you_ and that Miranda was simply a target of opportunity."

Miranda snapped her gaze back toward the Commander and noted he suddenly looked ashen. She knew he was busy beating himself up all over again for allowing them to be caught out like that. But it wasn't his fault. In fact, she was still busy blaming herself, picking apart her actions during the day and trying to determine where the assassins may have latched on. But it was pointless. In all likelihood, this team had been remotely observing the Commander's movements outside the Normandy ever since he arrived on Illium, waiting for an opportune moment to strike.

"I concur, Commander," Miranda said. "That woman with the shotgun could likely have killed me before I had the chance to react, but she was intent on reaching you instead."

Shepard turned toward Miranda with an unsettled look and sighed. "Thanks, Liara. We'll take it from here."

"Shepard, I'm so sorry I didn't catch this. _On Illium of all places_…" Liara bowed her head, shaking it in dismay. "I should have seen it coming."

"It's not your fault, Liara," Shepard said, his tone unwavering. "These guys were pros and completely off the grid. Even with all those resources, you're not omnipotent. Anderson was right. I _have_ made a lot of enemies and now we're seeing the result. We'll be more careful in the future, but this absolutely is not something you should feel responsible for. _Got it?_"

Liara looked up and smiled weakly at Shepard. "I appreciate you saying that, John. But I can still do better. I'll assign some additional assets on Illium to the investigation and dig further to find who may have ordered the attack."

"Alright," Shepard said. "But don't take your eye off the ball. We have bigger fish to fry than this."

"Right. I know. The Reapers are still the priority. I haven't forgotten," Liara said. "Is there anything else I can do for you now?"

"No, you've done enough. Thanks again, Liara," Shepard said.

"Very well. If you need anything, you know where to find me." Liara regarded the group.

But before ending the QEC connection, Liara turned toward Miranda. "I understand you were able to spend time with your sister recently, Miranda. I hope she's well and you found our protection detail adequate."

There was an undercurrent of cattiness to Liara's statement. It wasn't something that Garrus or Shepard would pick up on, but Miranda had no trouble understanding the implication; a subtle reminder that she _owed_ the asari. Miranda smiled amiably. "Yes, thank you Liara. Everything is well and your arrangements are more than sufficient. Thank you again for all you've done for us."

It was an uncomfortable situation for Miranda. Once again, she was reliant on someone else to safeguard Oriana and keep their father's relentless pursuit at bay. It bothered her tremendously that she was unable to personally take on the responsibility for her sister's protection. But she knew that without the previous resources she enjoyed with Cerberus the concept was simply untenable. In fact, Miranda now realized that her own safety was something she would have to be doubly vigilant about. The attack in the Nos Astra transit plaza only highlighted that fact even more. No, short of keeping Oriana on board the Normandy, it was better that Miranda swallow her pride and trust in this new Shadow Broker, relying on Liara's unwavering loyalty to Shepard.

But the awkwardness of the arrangement was palpable. Miranda felt it even more keenly in the wake of Tali's recent attack. Liara had shared a deep and intimate connection with Shepard and Miranda suspected that the asari still harbored some hope that that relationship could be salvaged. And although Shepard had confessed to her that the romantic relationship he had with Liara faded not long after the Battle of the Citadel, Miranda felt certain that the asari was still very much in love with him. The former Cerberus operative was adept at recognizing every subtle detail of human—and non-human behavior, and Liara's body language around the Commander betrayed the feelings she surely still had for the man.

As the group filed out of briefing room, EDI's voice rang out over the comm. There was an incoming communication from Admiral Steven Hackett of the Systems Alliance and apparently it was extraordinarily urgent.

While Shepard retreated up to his quarters to take Hackett's call in private, Miranda lingered in the CIC a little while longer, her thoughts still fixated on the life she was now certain she wanted to share with the Commander.

Her resolve hardening, Miranda had no intention of stepping aside for Liara or any other would-be suitor. Despite Tali's impassioned argument the previous day, she was determined more than ever to hold onto to Shepard.

Miranda had found something with this man that she would willingly walk through fire to preserve. She couldn't lose him. _She wouldn't_.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Wow, that was rough, Tali. I don't want her coming off as too spiteful, but I think from her perspective there's plenty of reason to not like Miranda much. And she does wear her heart on her sleeve, so there's not much of a filter there. The undercurrent of conflict between Tali and Miranda is something that other authors here have done really well and it makes sense for my story too.

We'll move on to the Arrival mission sequence next chapter. Thanks for reading!


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